Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 Source: North Island Gazette (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 North Island Gazette Contact: http://www.northislandgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2783 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n526/a04.html Author: Ralph Givens PROHIBITION NOT THE ANSWER Dear editor, Concerning the letter Drug problem cannot be ignored. Concerned parents like Connie Rufus-Alfred need to learn the harsh lesson taught by U.S. alcohol prohibition in the U.S. The prohibitionists promised that outlawing alcohol would protect their children from the evils of demon rum, but what they delivered was the worst epidemic of teen alcoholism before or since. Every high school soon had an in-house bootlegger ready to keep the kiddies hip flasks filled with rotgut booze. Since bootleggers often sold liquor to children as young as 10 to 11 years old, the illusion of saving the kiddies quickly vanished. During the noble experiment, thousands of young people suffered permanent brain damage, paralysis, liver damage and death from bootleg liquor every year. After repeal, teen alcohol use dropped substantially because licensed dealers can be held accountable for selling booze to kids. Parents worried about their children using dangerous drugs must learn that outlawing drugs puts them under the control of career criminals, who sell to children, and who only care about whether a customer has cash in hand. Only regulated markets can be controlled to prevent minors from obtaining drugs or alcohol. The choice concerned citizens must make is whether to continue a drug prohibition policy that makes their children a hundred times more vulnerable to dangerous drugs or to install a regulated market for adult drug use that can greatly reduce teen drug use. RALPH GIVENS Daly City, CA - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath