Prominent liberals and libertarians have joined to advocate "sentencing reform," code words for reduced prison sentences for a variety of so-called nonviolent offenses such as drug dealing and quantity possession.

This is naive or outright dishonest. Illicit drug peddling and consumption is a non-violent crime if you discount murders induced by drug rage or gang wars over drug-sales territory.

It's non-violent if you ignore the many people permanently injured or killed by drug use, even those who have great resources. Do I hear Elvis Presley, Len Bias, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and her daughter, among many of our famous entertainers and athletes?

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