Pubdate: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 Source: Oklahoman, The (OK) Copyright: 2012 The Oklahoma Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.newsok.com/voices/guidelines Website: http://newsok.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318 Author: R. G. Nolen LEGALIZING DRUGS WILL PUT MANY OUT OF WORK The Rev. Pat Robertson recently caused an uproar when he stated that marijuana should be made legal, like tobacco and liquor. Years ago I would have thought that Robertson had lost his mind. However, after 30 years of watching the "War on Drugs" fail to slow down the use of illegal drugs, and watching our prisons fill with drug users, I believe Robertson is right. Society would be better off if certain illegal drugs were legalized. I was born in the 1930s and have never taken a single illegal drug, so I'm not a drug user wanting a change for any personal benefit. My family has watched a family member's life destroyed from illegal drug use. So I know all too well the damage that illegal drugs can do to a user. However, I don't believe that illegal drugs will ever be legalized, certainly not in Oklahoma, because too many people profit from the thriving enterprise called the justice system. This system must have a large number of daily drug arrests to support its bail bondsmen, defense attorneys, pubic defenders, district attorneys, district court judges, court clerks and police. Without arrests for illegal drug use, many of these people wouldn't be needed. So you can be assured they'll never support the legalization of illegal drugs! B.G. Nolen Oklahoma City - --- MAP posted-by: Matt