JUST SAY NO MORE

Government-Issued Drugs Would Solve Problem

The Gazette's Jan. 15 Our View concerning the failed war on drugs was
right on target ("Failure on all fronts"). The solution is simple:
Take away the huge profits of selling drugs and the drug dealers,
importers and producers will disappear.

How does one accomplish that? Make all hard drugs available, free,
through government-controlled, licensed facilities such as hospitals
and clinics. Determining who is and who isn't a current drug user is a
relatively simple, fast, medical test.

Since the addict can get the drugs free, no longer would they have to
steal and commit other crimes to satisfy their cravings. Gone would be
the drug wars on the streets and down would go the crime and prison
occupancy rates. Up would go the amount of money available for
treatment, anti-drug education and other preventative measures.

If I were a betting man, I would bet the total cost of such a program
to be a fraction of what the current failed program costs.

Of course, we could always adopt the policy of the only industrialized
country in the world that has no drug problem. In Singapore, everyone
convicted of dealing in drugs at any level is hanged. I suspect they
have to hang only one or two a year to get the message out.

Let's have a public debate on this issue. Whether you agree with this
solution or not, get the subject off the back burner before everyone
running for president takes up valuable news space and time.

James Spieth

Canon City