Pubdate: Tue, 15 Jan 2002
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2002, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: Lamar Moore
Note: Lamar Moore is a retired pastor living on Highway 47

IT'S AN ECONOMIC DECISION TO BAN DRUGS

Society, like individuals, is prone to repeat the same mistakes. Recent 
letters to the editor of our paper have promoted the legalization of 
addictive drugs. A hundred years ago, there were no laws in our country 
regarding the use of drugs. Heroin stalls, brothels staffed by drug 
addicts, and widespread destruction of human life characterized the drug 
culture.

The anti-drug organizations of the 19th century became organized nationally 
in the early 20th century. The loss of young people, even children before 
the age of accountability, to the drug culture helped mold the mood of 
society to place controls on the use of addictive drugs. The law 
controlling drugs had a far-reaching effect on all of society. Many popular 
foods were banned or modified. Even Coca-Cola had to take the cocaine from 
its product.

The banning of addictive drugs was successful and society was appreciative, 
but one addictive drug, alcohol, was still a part of the scene. Demon Rum 
was doing some of the same damage to humanity that addictive drugs were 
accused of doing. The national organizations that were successful in 
outlawing drugs now organized to do the same for alcohol. The temperance 
leagues found a new kind of war against alcohol, but were successful. The 
temperance leagues learned that John Barleycorn had lots of public enemies 
and public friends.

The 18th Amendment to our Constitution became effective on June 20, 1920. 
This was a case where the temperance leagues won the battle, but lost the 
war. The politicians out-smarted them in the writing of the law. The 
Volstead Act made it against the law to manufacture, transport, and sell 
alcohol. It was not against the law to have whiskey, nor was it against the 
law to drink whiskey.

President Wilson saw the failure of the law and vetoed it. It was passed 
over his veto. We refer to it as Prohibition, but as a law, it was a farce. 
Society recognized the 18th Amendment as a failure and repealed it during 
the Depression of the 1930s.

The control system for alcohol led to several changes in the manufacture 
and dispensing. Systems for dispensing were the state monopoly, as North 
Carolina has, and the licensing system. Another major change since the 
Volstead Act was repealed was drastically reducing the amount of alcohol in 
the beverage. Most whiskeys now are no more than 80 proof or 40 percent 
alcohol.

Letter-writers to our paper have encouraged the creation of a control 
system, like alcohol, to dispense heroin, cocaine and other addictive drugs 
at the request of adults. The experience with alcohol has taught us much.

The alcohol-dependent person goes through a cycle that helps build a body 
tolerance for alcohol. As he drinks, the body's resistance to alcohol 
becomes stronger. He gets to where he can "hold his liquor," remaining 
seemingly sober though he has drunk large amounts of whiskey, but then his 
body systems fail him.

After years of drinking, his body loses its resistance, and when he drinks 
an ounce of alcohol, it goes straight into his bloodstream and he is 
falling-down drunk. He is at a loss to understand what has occurred in his 
life. The alcohol-dependent person can usually work for 20 to 25 years 
before his health and ability to work ceases.

Not so with the drug user. The drug user's health and ability to work 
decreases rapidly. It is estimated the drug user can give society no more 
than one to two years work before he becomes a drone. Further, drug users 
need a greater share of health care than is normal, thus making their 
existence more expensive for us all.

Our government has decided that it can tolerate alcohol use because the 
alcoholic can give society from 20 to 25 years of productive work. Society 
can afford the alcoholic easier than the drug addict. The government's 
decision to outlaw drugs is purely economic, rather than moral.

We can make a strong case for outlawing both drugs and alcohol, but for 
now, money is a stronger force than morals.
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MAP posted-by: Beth