Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2006
Source: Herald-Dispatch, The (Huntington, WV)
Copyright: 2006 The Herald-Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.hdonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1454
Author: Randall May
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n656/a02.html?22444

DRUG WAR DOES MORE HARM THAN DRUGS

Bryan Chambers' article, "Drug War Rages" although informative, failed
to offer a realistic solution.

The use of illegal drugs is certainly a problem, but the so-called war
on drugs may be the greater problem.

Many of the problems the drug war purports to resolve are in fact
caused by the drug war itself. So-called "drug-related" crime is a
direct result of drug prohibition's distortion of immutable laws of
supply and demand. Public health problems such as HIV and hepatitis C
are all exacerbated by zero-tolerance laws that restrict access to
clean needles.

The drug war is not the promoter of family values that some would have
us believe. Children of inmates are at risk of educational failure,
joblessness, addiction and delinquency.

Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse.

RANDALL MAY

Anaheim, Calif. 
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