Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 1999 Los Angeles Times.
Website: http://www.latimes.com/
Forum: http://www.latimes.com/HOME/DISCUSS/ 
Contact:  213-237-4712 
Pubdate: Sat, 16 Jan 1999
Author: Lewis Yablonsky, PhD
Related: The editorial is at:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n031.a10.html

LINK BETWEEN DRUGS AND CRIME

You say, "A link between crime and drugs is unassailable." Make tobacco
possession a felony and see if tobacco prices go up, how high, and see how
hard addicts will fight to get enough money to buy it, and how
tobacco-related crime is born of their desperation. I want my tax money
back on the war on drugs, and I want an apology from the government.

Yeah, there's a connection between drugs and crime; without government
interference, drug sales would follow only the laws of supply and demand;
drugs would be affordable (less than 1/20 of current street value); most
addicts wouldn't need to steal your car to get enough money to purchase
something that they need as badly as you need oxygen. Government is the
real connection between drugs and crime, and drug enforcement personnel and
politicians are the beneficiaries. The taxpayers are the ones who
helplessly foot the enormously wasteful bill.

ROBERT HEARD
Huntington Beach
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake