Pubdate: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Copyright: 2005 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503 Author: Stephen Heath Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor. Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n555/a10.html?48845 ELIMINATE THE CRIMINALS Clifford Schaffer is right on target (Prohibition greater evil, April 3). His views about the urgent need to end the so-called "Drug War" echo the views expressed by a growing group of judges and police who believe the best way to deal with dangerous drugs is to legalize them and eliminate the criminal dealers. They have organized as Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc). LEAP knows that criminal dealers are the ones who actively market dangerous drugs to minors and who conduct violence in the streets. Most important criminal dealers require millions of valuable police man-hours be wasted in a futile attempt to "control" illegal drug flow. The only way to control an in-demand drugs is to have them in a regulated market. This is how we deal with the risky and most commonly abused drug in America -- alcohol. Legalizing drugs will not solve all the problems related to drug use and abuse. But we did not end alcohol Prohibition in 1934 because alcohol use was without risk. We did it because of the urgent need to put Al Capone and other criminal dealers out of business and move the product into a market that could be easily monitored by authorities. We were then more able to help those who have problems with alcohol while respecting the privacy of those who use the drug responsibly. It's time for an equally sensible change in policy for the 21st century. Stephen Heath Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Clearwater Fla. (Good luck convincing your peers.) - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom