Pubdate: Mon, 20 Jul 2009
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Contact:  2009 Las Vegas Sun, Inc
Website: http://www.lasvegassun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234
Author: Alan Wollman

Prohibition didn't work because you can't legislate morality. Some of 
today's politicians are an example of this, and we should know better 
by now. What happened in the 1920s was that booze was outlawed and 
gangsters took over the distribution. Territorial gang wars erupted 
and crime was rampant.

Sound familiar?

As long as people use drugs, there will be demand and the drug lords 
will make billions. Do I condone drug use? No! However, as with 
Prohibition, it is senseless to try to control its use by legislation.

Instead, the government should control the distribution of drugs the 
same way we control alcohol use. The billions in revenue could be 
used to trim our national debt, jails won't be as crowded and 
crime-related killings will be eliminated.

Further, how much death and disease can be attributed to "bad drugs" 
and the shared syringes, etc., is unknown, but I am sure it's huge. 
This too can be controlled.

The supposed "War on Drugs" is a lost cause.

I still agree with Nancy Reagan: When it comes to drug use, don't! 
However, let's not ignore the reality of the situation -- legislative 
prohibition of drug use is just as ridiculous and ineffective as was 
prohibition of alcohol.

Alan Wollman, Henderson
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom