Source: Daily Arizona Star
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/
Pubdate: Wed, 27 May 1998

LEGALIZE DRUGS

U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin was quoted as saying, "Today, we have
hurt the drug cartels where it hurts the most, in their pocketbooks" (
"Drug money laundering sting pulls in Mexican bankers" - May 19).

If the U.S. government really wants to take the money away from the illicit
drug cartels, all it has to do is re-legalize nonviolent, non-larcenous,
consensual adult drug behavior.

Illegal drugs are 100 times more expensive than they would be if legalized.
Therein lies the reason for most of the real crime: violent, larcenous,
non-consensual behavior associated with drugs. It is the prohibition of
these substances that causes more harm to
individuals and society than the mere use of them.

If drugs were re-legalized, prices would fall dramatically, thereby
removing the profits from the violent drug cartels without having to spend
billions of taxpayers' dollars on a failed drug policy.

There is a fact that America will eventually come face-to-face with:
Legalized consensual adult drug use will reduce crime, save tax money,
allow drug-dependent people to openly seek help, restore the full
protection of the Bill of Rights and take the money from the violent drug
cartels.

David A. Nichols

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Checked-by:  (Joel W. Johnson)