Pubdate: Mon, 30 Dec 2002
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2002, The Tribune Co.
Contact: http://tampatrib.com/opinion/lettertotheeditor.htm
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Note: Limit LTEs to 150 words
Author: John Chase

OFFER DRUG TREATMENT

Re: "Getting Drug Dealers Off The Street" (Our Opinion, Dec. 24):

Yes, law enforcement should be given every legal means to rid the streets 
of drug dealers. But we must all understand that the local market will 
shrink, move, then finally return to find and addict those people willing 
to pay the price. Even the risk of capital punishment for kingpins would 
not stop substances worth 60 times what they'd bring on a free market. (Can 
you imagine anything worth more than $20,000 per ounce?)

There is only one way to kill the illegal market for keeps: Take out the 
profit and the addiction. The least destructive way would be for states to 
run stores the way Pennsylvania has been selling liquor since it was 
relegalized in 1933. Then go one step beyond Pennsylvania and use part of 
the revenue to offer open-ended, free treatment.

John Chase, Palm Harbor

The writer is a board member and secretary of Unitarian Universalists for 
Drug Policy Reform. Web site: www.uudpr.org
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom