A story in Monday's Times headlined "'Bath salts' shop owner is due in court today'" reported on a local businessman's unenviable position of experiencing the legal system after police arrested him on drug-related charges. A more accurate title would have been "Police arrest non-violent individual doing stupid, voluntary actions."

The arrest of non-violent offenders is completely illegitimate with few positive consequences, even recognizing the harmful and non-beneficial effects of drug use. To combat drug use and violence within society, one fact must be acknowledged: the war on drugs has exacerbated the drug problem and prevents positive solutions from developing.

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