ONE WAY TO REDUCE CRIME: STOP PROHIBITION OF DRUGS

Editor, The News:

Your issue of Saturday, Feb. 16 reported that the local citizenry
feels the rate of criminal behaviour in Abbotsford has increased
while, in fact, it has decreased.

It is strange that the most important cause of criminal behaviour is
not even mentioned, let alone discussed.

Fact: Fifty per cent of all crime in America is due to the foolish
policy of prohibition as a mode of contending against crime.

It didn't work for alcohol in the U.S. from 1919 to 1933. When
Roosevelt outlawed prohibition, the Capones and their buddies
suddenly went out of business. Alcohol was bad, but prohibition was
worse. This is universally true. For example, in Liverpool, England
not long ago, they offered free opium to addicts. The crime rate of
Merseyside, a slum, was reduced by 70 per cent.

I am not advocating total freedom for drugs; I am simply reminding
everyone that government control - not prohibition - solved many U.S.
problems with respect to drugs (in that particular case, alcohol).

People like drugs. They use drugs. Making them as legal as alcohol
would reduce our crime rate by at least 50 per cent.

Let's try the reality of historic common sense. The present system is
not working.

I have lots of articles which support, in authentic detail, the
statements made in this letter.

Gilbert Currie-Johnson

Abbotsford