Pubdate: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 Source: Daily Reflector (NC) Copyright: 2004 Daily Reflector Contact: http://www.reflector.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1456 Author: Harry E. Wilson END THE WAR ON DRUGS: MAKE THEM LEGAL Many years ago, I wrote to support legalizing drugs with federal and state control on the order of ABC stores but with physicians regulating the drugs and the treatment. Drugs would become so cheap that illegal trafficking wouldn't be profitable. After the proper facilities were set up with very cheap drugs for most and free for the needy addicts and drug therapy for all, the illegal trade would dry up. This would eliminate the need for many drug-regulating bureaus and thousands of policemen. Question: Do the federal and state governments really want to take all those officers off the street? Many jobs would be lost from the White House to the courthouse. Much temptation for graft would be removed. Fighting drugs has always been a strong political platform. The United States for years has paid drug-producing countries big money to control planting and trafficking, making a lot of dictators rich while the drugs keep coming in. Now times have drastically changed. Afghanistan has come into the picture. Not only are drugs the farmers' greatest source of wealth, this wealth is also supporting al-Qaida's terrorism against Iraq, Israel and the western world, mainly the United States. Some advocates will propose paying Afghanistan money to destroy the opium poppy business and maintain control - like having the fox guard the chickens. Others say Osama bin Laden's fortune is depleted, that he's now financing terrorism with Afghanistan drug money and paying the farmers more for one poppy crop than they normally make in a lifetime on such barren soil. Prohibition from 1919 until 1934 was never enforceable, and neither are the drug laws. Franklin D. Roosevelt repealed prohibition. I believe, today, he'd say legalize drugs. HARRY E. WILSON Greenville - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom