Pubdate: Sat, 13 Apr 2013
Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH)
Copyright: 2013 The Columbus Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93
Author: Steven H. Spring
Page: 20

DRUG PROHIBITION IS TRUE SOURCE OF VIOLENCE

While reading the April 5 letter "Make life tougher for the
lawbreakers" from Jeff Rickel, I laughed when I read his conclusion,
"Stop the drug flow and most of the gun violence will end."

Rickel placed blame for America's love affair with guns and their
associated violence on illegal drugs, which is like blaming a child's
teacher for the failing grade.

Every day in America, on average, 289 people are shot. Eighty-six of
those people die. Of these, 30 are murdered, 53 commit suicide, two
are shot accidentally and one person dies after being shot by the police.

I agree with Rickel that violence is definitely associated with the
illegal drug trade, but it is not the drugs that are the source of the
violence; it is their illegality.

Look back to this nation's other attempt to outlaw its citizens'
craving of mind-altering substances, specifically alcohol. During
Prohibition, organized crime and corruption became rampant and
shoot-outs involving gangsters armed with automatic weapons,
especially the Thompson submachine gun, were so prevalent that
Congress passed the National Firearms Act on June 26, 1934, outlawing
ownership of automatic weapons.

In the past 100 years, many nations have attempted to prohibit the use
of both alcohol and drugs, to no avail. People always will find a way
to pursue their vices.

President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs in 1971, and 40 years
later, what are the results? Billions of dollars wasted, and the
United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world.

When the Reagan administration began using the CIA and the U.S.
military in an attempt to stop the flow of drugs into the country, the
drug cartels soon realized it was much easier and far more lucrative
to import pounds of cocaine instead of tons of marijuana. The end
result was the cocaine-and-crack epidemic of the 1980s.

I am not condoning the use of any drugs, including alcohol. However,
to incarcerate one adult for smoking a joint while another drinks a
Martini is asinine. All prohibition does is to drive up the price and
bring in the criminal element.

History proves time and again that the prohibition of anything never
has worked.

STEVEN H. SPRING

South Charleston
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