Pubdate: Mon, 30 Dec 2013
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2013 Fleming Stockton
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Author: Fleming Stockton

BLAME THE DRUG POLICY

I believe J. Fred Hart Jr.'s recent assertion that marijuana users are
directly responsible for the deaths of Mexicans is as ridiculous as if
I said that everyone who voted for "W" is responsible for the body
count in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe the real reason for the
murders of Mexicans by the drug cartels is this nation's drug policy.

Four decades ago President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs, and
what are the results? Over one trillion of our tax dollars have been
wasted on this never-ending "war," yet more Americans use drugs than
ever before. Our jails and prisons are overflowing, and the Mexican
drug cartels (and other criminal organizations) profit greatly and
grow stronger with each passing year.

One would think that our first experiment with prohibiting an
intoxicant would have taught us a lesson. Prohibition was an utter
failure. Not only did consumption of alcohol increase during those
years, but so did organized crime, corruption in government, and crime
in general.

Before you vote for or against legalization of marijuana (in any
form), do some research outside your normal information sources.
You'll find that a "gateway drug" is as close as your medicine
cabinet. Americans consume 80 percent of the world's pain pills. Do
you think they all started on pot? You might even find that marijuana
is far less an evil than two drugs that are legally consumed every
day: alcohol and tobacco.

FLEMING STOCKTON

Little Rock 
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