Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2005
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2005 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Michael Cust
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

LEGALIZING DRUGS WOULD STOP VIOLENCE

Re: John Tory, Mayor At Last, Aug. 12.

When will Torontonians, their politicians and their police finally admit to 
themselves that their gun violence problem can only be solved by less 
government, not more?

No amount of new police manpower, no amount of welfare spending to address 
"root causes," no amount of job-creation programs for youth and no amount 
of harsher penalties for drug and gun offences will stop the gun violence 
that plagues Toronto.

This is because Toronto's gun violence problem can be wholly traced to the 
federal government's prohibition of drugs. In any market where the good 
traded is not protected under the law as legal property, violence will be a 
competitive advantage among those seeking to sell it. When merchants cannot 
call police when someone threatens their body or their property, their 
competitors can successfully use acts of violence and theft in their 
business strategy.

In effect, drug prohibition has turned Toronto into a mild version of 
Hobbes's state of nature.

In the early 1930s, Canada suffered from similar violence in the illegal 
alcohol trade. A policy of handgun registration was implemented to stem the 
violence. It did nothing. The violence ended only when Prohibition did.

It's time Toronto learned from the lessons of economics and history.

Michael Cust, Vancouver.
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