Pubdate: Mon, 13 Aug 2007
Source: Financial Times (UK)
Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 2007
Contact:  http://www.ft.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/154
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n941/a06.html
Author: Kirk Muse

WE CAN REDUCE THE HARM CAUSED BY NOW-ILLEGAL DRUGS

Sir, Thanks for publishing Willem Buiter's outstanding commentary 
"For the sake of liberty and security: legalise all drugs" (August 8).

The so-called war on drugs was lost before it began. No matter how 
much money we throw down the drug war rat hole, we will never be able 
to nullify the immutable law of supply and demand. As long as people 
want recreational drugs and they are willing to pay a substantial 
price for the drugs, somebody will produce them and somebody else 
will get the drugs to the willing buyers. This much we can guarantee.

Almost 100 per cent of our so-called "drug-related crime" is caused 
by our drug prohibition policies - not the drugs themselves. We have 
almost no "tobacco-related crime", even though tobacco is a highly 
addictive mind-altering drug. If we were to re-legalise all our now 
illegal drugs would this eliminate our drug problems? No. However, it 
would dramatically reduce our crime rate and dramatically increase 
public safety.

Will we ever be able to eliminate our drug problems? No. However, we 
can substantially reduce the harm caused by our now-illegal drugs. 
Regulated and controlled drugs would be of known purity, known 
potency and known quality - just the opposite of our bootleg, black 
market drugs of today.

What message would we send to children if we re-legalised all now 
illegal drugs so they can be sold in licensed, regulated and taxed 
business establishments? The same message we send to children when we 
allow for other "unapproved" products such as alcohol and tobacco 
products to be sold in licensed, regulated and taxed business establishments.

A free country's government cannot protect its adult citizens from 
themselves. A free country's government has no right attempting to do so.

Kirk Muse,

Mesa, AZ
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