Pubdate: Sun, 25 Dec 2005
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2005 Globe Newspaper Company
Contact:  http://www.boston.com/globe/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1984/a03.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/afghanistan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?131 (Heroin Maintenance)

USING COMMON SENSE IN DRUG WAR

AFGHANISTAN profits from the opium trade because of drug prohibition, 
not in spite of it (op ed, Dec. 18). Attempts to limit the supply of 
drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability 
of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in 
street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity 
to feed desperate habits.

The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels it. Heroin produced in 
Afghanistan is primarily consumed in Europe, a continent already 
experimenting with harm-reduction alternatives to the drug war. 
Switzerland's heroin maintenance trials have been shown to reduce 
drug-related disease, death, and crime. Addicts would not be sharing 
needles if not for zero-tolerance laws that restrict access to clean 
syringes, nor would they be committing crimes if not for inflated 
black-market prices.

Heroin maintenance pilot projects are underway in Canada, Germany, 
Spain, and the Netherlands. If expanded, prescription heroin 
maintenance would deprive organized crime of a core client base and 
render illegal heroin trafficking unprofitable.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom