Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 Source: Las Vegas Mercury (NV) Copyright: 2005 Las Vegas Mercury Contact: http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2595 Author: Howard J. Wooldridge Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) DRUG PROHIBITION IS CAUSE OF CRIME Professor Shelden's comments were accurate and this reader appreciates you have the courage to print them ["Expensive Drug War Still Not Working," Dec. 30]. As a retired police officer, my feeling is the only area he left blank was the reduction in public safety caused by drug prohibition. As my colleagues chase marijuana, DUIs killed 17,000 innocents every year. Year after year, about 75 percent of felony crime is caused by drug prohibition (not the use of drugs). Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end drug prohibition? Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired), Media Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, http://www.leap.cc/ Dallas, Texas - --- MAP posted-by: Derek