Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jun 2002
Source: Lindsay This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 Lindsay This Week
Contact:  http://www.lindsaythisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2213
Author: Kirk Muse
Note: Parenthetical remark by LTW

PROHIBITION CAUSES CRIME

To the editor;

Thanks for publishing Robert Sharpe's outstanding letter, Legitimize 
Marijuana Now (LTW June 21).

I'd like to add that almost all so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by 
drug prohibition. Not the drugs.

When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine, the term 
"drug-related crime" didn't exist.

Neither did drug lords or drug cartels.

These were all created by drug prohibition.

As for the "gateway effect" of marijuana, most users of marijuana are only 
interested in marijuana.

But they will often be offered free samples of other much more dangerous 
drugs like heroin, cocaine, or meth.

Thus the "gateway effect" is created by marijuana prohibition policies. Not 
the marijuana itself.

Best regards, Kirk Muse, Mesa, Arizona

Are you saying 'dopes' are running the country?
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom