Pubdate: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 Source: Wall Street Journal (US) Copyright: 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Contact: http://www.wsj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n1092/a03.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n1118/a07.html Author: Ronald G. Shafer DRUG POLICY: SEEING THROUGH THE CLOUD OF SMOKE Nearly 20 years ago I wrote a page-one story in the Journal about the drug-related death of my 16-year-old son, Ryan. It is sad to see the same tired old names and groups making the same, tired old arguments for drug legalization in the Journal recently. To say that "no one has ever died from marijuana" is like saying nobody ever died from cigarettes because cigarette smokers don't overdose on tobacco. While my son was killed when he ran into traffic after using LSD, his dependence on pot is what led to his death. What I wrote in 1989 is still true: "Every day my heart breaks a little more." To believe that legalizing drugs would slash crime and violence is a pipe dream. Does anyone really think that the thugs and killers in the drug trade would suddenly become law-abiding insurance salesmen? Certainly drug addiction should be treated as a health problem. But it makes no sense to expand the availability of drugs that kill and, more often, destroy the futures of tens of thousands of young people every year. Ronald G. Shafer Leesburg, Va. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake