Pubdate: Sat, 02 Mar 2002
Source: Press & Journal (UK)
Copyright: 2002: Northcliffe Newspapers Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/347
Author: Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n306/a07.html

US DRUG POLICIES

SIR, - Thank you for publishing Robert Sharpe's outstanding letter 
headed "Policy on drugs" (February 21). I would like to add that the 
US is the most backward nation on the planet regarding drug policy.

With fewer than 5% of the world's population, the US has greater than 
25% of the world's prisoners, thanks primarily to our 
counter-productive war on certain politically selected drugs. Almost 
all of our so-called drug-related crime is actually caused by drug 
prohibition.

The British murder rate and other violent crime rates are a small 
fraction of US rates. That will soon change if Britain adopts US drug 
policies.

Kirk Muse
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