Pubdate: Thu, 18 May 2006 Source: Quad-City Times (IA) Copyright: 2006 Quad-City Times Contact: http://www.qctimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/857 Author: Heath Hancock Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) U.S. SHOULD SURRENDER IN WAR ON DRUGS The United States of America is under the impression that we can control the entire world or at least North America. Mexico's Presidente Vicente Fox was set to sign a bill decriminalizing the personal use and possession of illegal drugs. The U.S. Embassy spokeswoman, Judith Bryan, says that the U.S. doesn't want American tourists to go to Mexico to use illegal drugs. Mexico was about to make an important step in the war on drugs. They were about to face the true facts of this unjust and unnecessary war: that by prohibiting the use of anything you create more crime than you reduce. Just look the prohibition of alcohol. Each year it costs every tax-paying American more to fund the DEA to stop these drugs, even though they can't. And it costs more for us to incarcerate those non-violent offenders in our jails and prisons. If you want to start saving money in these areas, you need to think why you think that this person is a criminal. California has allowed its constituents the right to do with their own body as they please along with 11 other states, at least not forcing them to be incarcerated and only paying a fine. But Mexico is not allowed to do this, because it would let the world know that infallible America was wrong. It's been working in Amsterdam for years. Heath Hancock Rock Island - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman