Pubdate: Tue, 14 Apr 2009
Source: Times-Herald, The (Vallejo, CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Times-Herald
Contact:  http://www.timesheraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/993
Author: Ralph Givens

DRUG DISASTER

People who support drug prohibition usually have little knowledge of
the disastrous effects of America's drug crusade. Most people who
favor drug laws have no idea that all of our current "drug problems"
come from a lunatic drug war that has continuously failed for more
than 90 years. History clearly shows that there was no such thing as
"drug crime," "drug gangs" or "criminal drug cartels" before drug
prohibition. All of the crime, death, disease and murder associated
with drugs began after the drugs were outlawed.

Think about it for a minute. Before drug prohibition our only drug
problem was some addicts who may or may not have liked the long term
effects of opiate addiction. However, their personal problems were
their own problems until drug crusaders vowing to "save people from
themselves" came along and began throwing drug users into prison "for
their own good." Up until then drug users were upstanding citizens who
worked regular jobs, raised decent families and committed no crimes.
Now most of the crime in the country is drug prohibition related.
Supporting drug prohibition requires ignoring the fact that our
prisons are now overloaded with drug users, not violent criminals.

Sensible people want America's destructive drug policies ended.

Ralph Givens

Daly City
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin