Pubdate: Fri, 05 Jun 2009
Source: Daily, The (U of WA, Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Daily
Contact:  http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1254
Author: Darral Good
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n568/a10.html
Note: Title by newshawk

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

In response to "What's the worst that could happen: Marijuana is 
legalized," by Jackson Rohrbaugh. May 28:

Shouldn't adult citizens have the freedom to choose what goes into 
their own bodies in the privacy of their own homes? Why are alcohol 
and cigarettes the only legal intoxicant?

Imagine if the United States was once again the "Land of the Free" 
instead of the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization.

Imagine if the American people could feel safe and secure in their 
own homes and on the streets of our cities and towns throughout the 
United States.

Imagine if we had no "drug-related crime." Imagine if our overall 
crime rate was a small fraction of our current crime rate.

We once had such a situation here in the United States. Prior to the 
passage of the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914, the term "drug-related 
crime" didn't exist. And drug lords, drug cartels or even drug 
dealers as we know them today didn't exist either.

Back then, all types of recreational drugs were legally sold to 
anybody with no questions asked, for pennies per dose in grocery 
stores and pharmacies.

Did we have a lot more drug addicts then, compared to now? No.

We had about the same percentage of our population addicted to drugs 
according to U.S. Federal Judge John L. Kane of Colorado.

For the sake of our children, can we re-legalize our now-illegal 
drugs and sell them through licensed business establishments? This 
would put the drug dealers and drug lords out of business overnight.

Darral Good

Seattle, Wash.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom