CONSEQUENCES ARE DISASTROUS

The United States of America has lost the "war on drugs," failure to
acknowledge that fact continues to have disastrous consequences. Prisons
are overcrowded with people convicted of victimless crimes, a ridiculous
oxymoron. Criminalization of drug use has encouraged, actually required, an
increase of violent crime as users resort to robbery and burglary to
finance expensive habits. Murder is inevitable as suppliers contend for the
outrageously lucrative trade. And now the country has authorized the grant
of $1.3 billion to Colombia to aid in their anti-drug efforts. But drug
traffic is so lucrative that the dealers and suppliers can out spend and
out arm any counter-forces as well as corrupt or terrify governments into
inaction. The analogy with the prohibition of alcohol is obvious. The 18th
Amendment to the Constitution established organized crime and created more
efficient criminal systems. The amendment was repealed, but it legacy
continues. Is it not logical to rethink a solution to the drug problem?

Legalization of narcotics would dispose of many serious problems; the price
of drugs can be controlled, taking profit out of the trade and obviating
much of the violent crime associated with drug traffic. Drugs could be made
available by the government with strict controls much as alcohol is made
available. Consequent release of the billions of dollars now devoted to the
useless "war" could be used to establish sufficient clinics and treatment
centers to serve users now wanting treatment and on long waiting lists. For
those users who do not want to be cured of their addictions, nothing can be
done by the government except to make their habit affordable and
crime-free. Personal choice and personal behavior that does no harm to
others cannot be legislated.

There may be possibly valid arguments against the legalization of drugs,
but the issue should be debated and considered. The cost of our present
course is ruinous both in terms of crime and budget.

Douglas T. Acosta, Brandon