Pubdate: Mon, 07 May 2007
Source: Morganton News Herald, The (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Media General Inc.
Contact: 
http://www.morganton.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MNH%2FPage%2FMNH_ContentPage&c=Page&cid=1036526478355
Website: http://www.morganton.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1623
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n559/a07.html
Author: Kirk Muse

LESSONS FROM PROHIBITION

I'm writing about the outstanding letter from Calvin Acuff, MD: 
"Legalize Drugs." If the United States re-legalized all of our now 
illegal drugs so they can be sold in regulated and licensed business 
establishments for pennies per dose, would this solve our drug problems? No.

But it would substantially reduce our crime rate. Alcohol prohibition 
was not abolished in 1933 because it was decided that alcohol was not 
so bad, but rather because of the crime and corruption that 
prohibition caused. In 1933, our overall crime rate declined 
substantially and our murder rate declined for 10 consecutive years. 
Have we learned any lessons from this experience? Not yet.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake