Pubdate: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n942/a02.html Author: Robert Sharpe DEBATING THE MERITS OF THE CONSERVATIVES' CRIME REDUCTION PLAN Re: War on crime and drugs more hopeful than realistic, by Peter McKnight, Oct. 15 When it comes to drugs, mandatory minimum prison sentences are proven failures. If harsh sentences deterred illicit drug use, Canada's southern neighbour would be a drug-free America. That's not the case. The U.S. drug war has done little, other give the former land of the free the highest incarceration rate in the world. Drug prohibition finances organized crime at home and terrorism abroad, which is then used to justify increased drug-war spending. It's time to end this madness and instead treat all substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse. Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake