Pubdate: Tue, 02 Jul 2002
Source: Peak, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Peak Publications Society
Contact:  http://www.peak.sfu.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/775
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1111/a05.html?1575
Author: Redford Givens

Laws. Good God, y'all...

Re: "IT'S ABOUT DRUGS!," Opinions, June 10.

James Steidle neglected to mention the historic fact that heroin and 
cocaine never caused any serious problems until after they were outlawed.

No one was robbing, whoring and murdering over drugs when addicts could buy 
all of the heroin, cocaine, morphine, opium and anything else they wanted 
cheaply and legally at the corner pharmacy. When drugs were legal addicts 
held regular employment, raised decent families and were indistinguishable 
from their teetotaling neighbors. Overdoses were virtually unheard of when 
addicts used cheap pure Bayer Heroin instead of the toxic potions 
prohibition puts on the streets. (See: The Consumers Union Report on Licit 
and Illicit Drugs Chapter 5. Some eminent narcotics addicts 
www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu5.html)

Where drug crime was unknown we now have prisons overflowing with drug 
users. Where addicts lived normal lives, we have hundreds of thousands of 
shattered families. Where overdoses were extremely rare, we have tens of 
thousands of drug deaths every year. The addiction rate is now five times 
greater than when we had no laws at all (See: Snow Job: The Demonization of 
Cocaine, by Jacob Sullum reason.com/opeds/js092799.html).

"The menace of the goddamned junky and stoner" only exists because of a 
lunatic drug crusade that has never worked for anything, anywhere, anytime.

Redford Givens
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