Pubdate: Sun, 19 May 2002
Source: Press & Sun Bulletin (NY)
Copyright: 2002 Press & Sun Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.pressconnects.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/878
Author: Redford Givens
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n900/a03.html

DRUG CRIMES ARE THE RESULT OF FAILED POLICIES

If Stephen Menz really wants to end his "drug problems" he should pray for 
repeal of America's lunatic drug crusade because no one was robbing, 
whoring and murdering over drugs when addicts could buy all of the heroin, 
cocaine, morphine, opium they wanted cheaply and legally at the corner 
pharmacy.

When drugs were legal, addicts held regular employment, raised decent 
families and were indistinguishable for their teetotaling neighbors. 
Overdoses were virtually unheard of.

Now we have prisons overflowing with drug users. Where addicts lived normal 
lives, we have hundreds of thousand 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.

The "drug problems" we have are a direct consequence of a brain-dead drug 
prohibition policy, not the drugs themselves. "Squeez[ing] them (drug 
dealers) at every opportunity" is in fact the precise cause of "drug crimes."

Redford Givens

San Francisco, Calif.
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