Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2002
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2002 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Wiley Long III

THE REAL ENEMY

During the Super Bowl, the Office of National Drug Control Policy ran two 
television ads that equated purchasing illegal drugs to supporting 
terrorism. Sadly, the inflated profits from illegal drugs do fund civil 
wars, terrorism and outlaw regimes worldwide, yet the problem is 
prohibition itself and not the use of those drugs. In the 1920s, domestic 
terrorism was the result of the prohibition on alcohol, one of the world's 
most popular drugs. Yet on Sunday, Budweiser spent millions of dollars 
promoting its product. Clearly, the alcohol itself was not at fault, nor is 
the football fan who enjoys a cold beer.

Criminalizing a product people want causes price and profit to increase 
dramatically and draws in the criminal element that is willing to fight and 
kill to protect market share. The U.S. government should recognize that the 
freedom to control one's own consciousness is a fundamental right.

By continuing the war on (some) drugs it does just what it accuses the pot 
smoker or heroin addict of doing: financially supporting terrorism.

WILEY LONG III, Fort Collins
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager