Pubdate: Mon, 05 Jun 2000
Source: Florida Times-Union (FL)
Copyright: The Florida Times-Union 2000
Contact:  http://www.times-union.com/
Forum: http://cafe.jacksonville.com/cafesociety.html
Author: David B. Higginbottom

Drug Addicts

PROVIDE FREE PRESCRIPTIONS

 From all appearances, the Million Moms March was a successful challenge to 
Congress to do something to stop the killing of children by the use of guns.

Not to take anything away from the march, I would like to suggest that the 
terror expressed by many of the people involved has been brought about by 
the so-called "war on drugs."

The gang warfare, the muggings, burglaries, home invasions, carjackings and 
other acts of violence in America are due to addicts engaging in crime to 
get enough money to buy drugs. In turn, law-abiding citizens are buying 
guns to protect themselves. Now, America is awash in guns, with many of 
them available to children.

There is a way to stop putting more and more people in prison on 
drug-related charges: Take the money out of selling drugs.

That can be done, as has been proved in Great Britain, by getting the drug 
addicts to get a prescription for what a doctor decides is an adequate 
amount of drugs and having that prescription filled at a government 
dispensary absolutely free.

There is, therefore, no use in a drug seller getting a person addicted to 
drugs. As soon as the person becomes an addict, he can get his drugs 
absolutely free from a government dispensary, which may cost $1,000 a year 
compared to the $30,000 a year that it costs to keep an addict in prison.

Besides, an addict getting free drugs does not have to engage in criminal 
activity to get the money to buy drugs.

David B. Higginbottom, attorney, Frostproof
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