Pubdate: Thu, 21 Aug 2008
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
Copyright: 2008 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.stltoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/418
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n793/a12.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n802/a08.html
Author: Ric Haberstroh

"ILLEGAL" IS THE PROBLEM

"Missourian connected war on drugs to war on terror" (Aug. 17) stated 
that there is a $322 billion drug trade in the world and that it is 
linked directly to the spread of terrorism. The reason is the money, 
not the drugs. The fact that the drugs are illegal raises the prices 
astronomically, which makes them attractive to the terrorist 
organizations as an easy way to support themselves.

Prohibition of alcohol in the United States created gangs and warfare 
for the same reasons. The police and army in Mexico are about to be 
overrun by drug cartels, and it is seeping into the United States at 
an alarming rate.

Michael Braun and the Drug Enforcement Administration are not the 
answer; they are part of the problem. Prohibition doesn't prevent 
crime; it makes it more lucrative and, therefore, more inviting to 
criminals and terrorists alike. Countries that have prohibited drugs 
only increased the price of them, whereas countries that have 
legalized or decriminalized them have little or no problems with them.

Money is the problem. If the drug trade is $322 billion, there are 
billions to be made by the corporations claiming to help fight the 
illegal drugs. It is a lose-lose proposition.

Legalization of drugs is a plausible answer but is overlooked because 
of the vast amount of money being made by making them illegal and, 
thus, more lucrative.

Ric Haberstroh
Ferguson 
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart