Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jan 2002
Source: Providence Journal, The (RI)
Copyright: 2002 The Providence Journal Company
Contact:  http://www.projo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/352
Author: Peter Webster
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n051/a06.html

BOGUS WAR ON DRUGS'

Froma Harrop's Jan. 9 column, "Take me out of the nanny society," hits the 
nail on the head, and if mere good sense could change the course of drug 
policy in the U.S., surely this article would cause a revolution. But drug 
prohibition is today too important a tool for U.S. political institutions, 
and too critical an issue for certain economic interests to expect that 
significant drug-law reform will be initiated in the United States. This is 
why we Europeans are proceeding decidedly toward reform, refusing to 
kow-tow to the U.S. on these matters.

Quite the contrary to prohibitionist propaganda, the U.S. "War on Drugs" is 
not about preventing the harms associated with people using illegal 
substances; it is not even about protecting young people from discovering 
their use, and it is certainly not about improving the conditions of life 
in inner cities. It is about political power and posturing at every level.

PETER WEBSTER

Paris
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