Pubdate: Wed, 17 Apr 2002
Source: Macon Telegraph (GA)
Copyright: 2002 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667
Author: Mahlon Marr

MAKE THEM LEGAL?

I agree with Mr. Lee Cooper's distress at the problems which drugs cause in 
our society. His public disdain for those who use drugs is the best weapon 
we have against their misuse. But he says, "I guess if drugs were legal, 
neither of these two (drug abuse instances that he cited) would have occurred."

The problem is that they occurred while they were illegal, along with the 
crime, corruption and government intrusion that accompanies such inevitably 
impotent black market prohibition. And the massive amounts of money 
generated by crime syndicates, including terrorists, is there because it is 
illegal.

With alcohol prohibition of the 1920s and '30s, we at least maintained the 
integrity of the Constitution by justifying it with a Constitutional 
amendment. Ask yourself why we don't have an amendment for the so-called 
"War on Drugs." The drugs will continue to be there in answer to the 
demand, and our policymakers know that. The only things diminished are our 
freedoms and our pocketbook.

Mahlon Marr
Byron
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart