Our society can be better protected against crime, uncleanliness and otherwise despicable acts by getting rid of prohibition: a fallacious policy wanting of wishful thinking. Such policy has proven ineffective, inefficient and more troublesome than preventive. The 1920s era of prohibition ended in failure due to its creation of black markets, gang activity and crime; our current war on drugs does not conceptually differ.

These events are useful in that they show humans, by nature and whether we choose to accept it or not, are often times attracted to vice. Only a campaign of containment can eradicate the host of problems created by the policy of prohibition; just as a controlled fire is allowed only to burn certain areas of underbrush, we can control violators' choices by disallowing them the right to choose. Simple logic and empirical evidence provide that prohibition creates a black market where tax is not paid, behavior is not regulated and crime flourishes.

Additionally, prohibition does not discourage lawlessness but rather encourages it, resulting in substantial amounts of money being illegally made from which Big Brother will not see a dime, and taxpayers will bear no relief.

Blake Fowler, Paris

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