HOOKED ON DRUGS

Toronto -- Bravo to Karen Selick (Go Ahead, Make Our Day -- Jan. 10) and
William Johnson (The War On Drugs Needs A Tactical Shot In The Arm -- Jan.
10). Regulated distribution of drugs and prostitution is the quickest way
to increase public safety and reduce crime. Unfortunately, police and
conservative-leaning politicians are addicted to the status quo and will
prevent this sensible reform.

Police budgets would plummet with the decriminalization of drugs and
prostitution, and the high-profile undercover vice squads would disappear
completely. Tough-on-crime conservative politicians would lose a reliable
campaign plank that helps keep soft conservatives from defecting to other
parties.

Any decriminalization initiatives will be branded soft on crime and buried,
and we will continue to inflict appallingly expensive and ineffective
"wars" on drugs and organized crime on ourselves. But when people are
hooked on drugs, they tend to do stupid things.

Howard Goodman