WAR ON DRUGS DOESN'T FIGHT CRIME, IT FUELS CRIME

To the Editor:

The fact that the drug war cannot keep drugs out of the Fairfield
County Jail, much less schools, is indicative of its inherent
failure. Drug warriors would have us believe the drug war's
collateral damage is good reason to throw good money after bad.
Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains
constant only increases the profitability of drug trafficking. For
addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate
addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The
drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

Drug prohibition finances organized crime at home and terrorism
abroad, which is then used to justify increased drug-war spending.
It's time to end this madness and instead treat all substance abuse,
legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is. Thanks to
public education efforts, tobacco use has declined considerably in
recent years.

Apparently, mandatory minimum prison sentences, racial profiling,
civil asset forfeiture and random drug testing are not necessarily
the most cost-effective means of discouraging unhealthy choices. Drug
abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse.

- - Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy