Pubdate: Fri, 08 Jun 2007
Source: Florida Today (Melbourne, FL)
Copyright: 2007 Florida Today
Contact:  http://www.flatoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532
Author: James Stubbins

DRUG LAWS TURN DECENT PEOPLE INTO CRIMINALS

I read with great interest the recent story about the drug-sniffing
dogs on duty with the Palm Bay traffic police.

Does it occur to anyone else that a person who fears he is about to
lose his transportation and thus his job, probably his home, and
perhaps even his marriage due to a police seizure based on the crumbs
vacuumed from his carpet, might be more likely to flee and cause an
accident?

Until threatened with terrible consequences, all the adult pot smokers
I know are very stable people who avoid trouble every chance they get.
Why push them in this manner? Where is the benefit to society?

Members of prohibited classes of people, such as pot smokers, are
quite used to having their households looted by the police.

There is no legal redress for a crime against a lawbreaker committed
by the law enforcers. When bad laws make good people into outlaws,
everybody suffers.

Drug abuse should be a medical problem, not a legal one. Legalization
and control of drugs is the only answer that brings long-term peace.

Prohibition isn't working. It just reduces the number of people who
support the government.

James Stubbins

Melbourne
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin