Pubdate: Sat, 14 Apr 2012 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2012 Todd Maddison Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: Todd Maddison LEGALIZE DRUGS I don't often agree with George Will, but his column on drug legalization ("Legalizing drugs," April 13) was the most coherent argument I've ever read on this topic. Often a case is made that "drugs cause violence," and current drug laws are needed to reduce that violence. It is now obvious that this is not working, and the result is just an ever-escalating arms race between law enforcement and the cartels. Did we learn anything from the "great experiment" of Prohibition? We know that Prohibition did little to reduce alcohol use but did much to drive the rise of organized crime - an effect we've been living with ever since. Last year's Ken Burns special on this should be required viewing by anyone who does not understand that cause and effect relationship. Prohibition was and is a dumb idea. Drugs do not cause violence, money does. Even the street corner thug who steals a purse from Grandma "because he's on drugs" is not stealing because he expects to find drugs in that purse, he expects to find money there. And the money he's paying is mostly flowing straight through to the organizations responsible for the violence that is doing so much damage to Mexican and American society. Legalize it, regulate it, tax it. Enforce existing laws on public use, intoxication, and driving. Put a small fraction of the money we're now spending on enforcement into treatment programs and we'll all be better off. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, let's fix this one soon. - Todd Maddison Oceanside - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D