Pubdate: Sat, 29 Jan 2011
Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)
Copyright: 2011 Columbia Daily Tribune
Contact:  http://www.columbiatribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/91
Note: Prints the street address of LTE writers.
Author: Allan Erickson
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n042/a08.html

PROHIBITION OF DRUGS NOT BASED UPON FACTS

Editor, the Tribune: Many thanks to the Tribune for a much-needed 
editorial, "Mexico and the drug war," on Jan. 22.

Many salient points were made and important questions raised, but the 
problem is those in charge don't and won't listen or even discuss the 
topic publicly.

When first appointed as our nation's chief of the White House Office 
of National Drug Control Policy, former Seattle police Chief Gil 
Kerlikowske admitted the word "legalization" wasn't even in his 
vocabulary. In such a context, I doubt our drug czar will ever 
publicly debate the issue or ever hold an unscripted interview with 
journalists.

Most troubling to me about this Prohibition II is that not only has 
it been a gross failure, but it was founded upon not a shred of 
factual data. The whole of drug prohibition is a fraud and based upon 
blatant racism and xenophobic fictions.

The end result of such fraudulent lawmaking is obvious. Our nation, 
once proud to be called the "Land of the Free," has become the "Land 
of the Most Incarcerated." We should be ashamed to have let this get 
so far out of hand.

The drug cartels and the drug war profiteers and bureaucrats will be 
loath to loosen their grip on Prohibition II because it truly is 
their golden egg-laying goose.

Allan Erickson

[redacted]
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom