Pubdate: Wed, 01 Jul 2009 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2009 El Paso Times Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829 Author: Hadley Robinson DRUG ADDICTS It is hardly responsible of the Times to mention the failure of Mexican army troops to quell the violence in Juarez without mentioning the cause of this anarchy: the American penchant for using illegal drugs. If the growing social destruction here were to miraculously reverse, Mexico and many other politically weak nations would not be under the pressure to accommodate the ravenous appetite for drugs of their northern neighbor. But who hears of calls to institute severe penalties for the users of illegal drugs or, just as well, to tax and regulate them like alcohol? There are legal industries here that both benefit and expand from the drug trade, such as law enforcement and health care. If the drug problem goes away, these groups will suffer setbacks. Apparently, the United States is far from broke as it still can squander tens of billions of dollars or more annually on this vice while virtually doing nothing to attack the root of the problem: American drug addicts. Hadley Robinson Upper Valley - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr