Pubdate: Fri, 30 Oct 2009
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Author: Travis Erbacher
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n974/a01.html?1326

PROHIBITION REAL DRUG PROBLEM

Dear Editor,

Kait Huziak [Legal drugs would add crime, Oct. 27 Letters, Langley
Advance] is wrong on every single point regarding drug prohibition,
and Mike Harvey [Law puts money in thugs' pockets, Oct. 16 Letters,
Langley Advance] is absolutely correct.

It seems that Kait has never attempted to research the issue at all.

Modern-day drug prohibition is exactly like alcohol prohibition. When
alcohol was made illegal, the price jumped exponentially and gangsters
took control of it. Gang disputes killed many, as did impure alcohol.

More people used alcohol when it was illegal than when it was legal.
In fact, when alcohol was re-legalized, there was a decline in alcohol
use. When it was re-legalized, prices dropped and gangs could not make
a profit off it, so the gang violence went away.

Marijuana costs upwards of $200 an ounce. If it was legal, it would
cost $20 an ounce, and nobody could make any money off it. If drugs
were legalized, gangs would virtually disappear.

Every single country that has legalized or decriminalized drugs has
seen drug-use decline.

Portugal decriminalized all drugs, including cocaine and heroin, and
has found that less people are using than prior to
decriminalization.

Holland, where marijuana is quasi-legal, has half the rates of
marijuana use that Canada does.

If drugs were legal, addicts would go to a doctor to get their drug of
choice, and would be given information on where local detox centres
are, treatment options such as Suboxen or cocaine vaccines, and the
benefits of quitting.

To suggest that heroin would be on the shelves of your local corner
store shows how little Kait Huziak has thought about the issue.

Furthermore, people who wish to purchase marijuana could go to a
liquor store, rather than having to go to a criminal dealer who may
deal in hard drugs.

Do some research, and I guarantee you will reach the same conclusion
that Mike Harvey, myself, and millions of other Canadians have: we
have a drug problem in this country, and the problem is drug
prohibition.

Travis Erbacher

Langley
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr