PROHIBITION REVISITED

To the editor:

Kudos to Brian Dupre for his thoughtful editorial titled "New Strategy
For War On Drugs" (2/16/00). I have been critical of The Texan's
coverage of the War on SOME Drugs, and it is refreshing to see some
balance. Mr. Dupre's insight is correct, this nation's War on SOME
Drugs is a failure, even if the government's propaganda says
otherwise.

Recently, the U.K. drug tsar, Keith Hellawell, and Cabinet
member, Mo Mowlam, acknowledged that their own U.S.-style War on SOME
Drugs is not the best way to go. These two outspoken politicos have
called for a liberalization of cannabis laws in the U.K. Perhaps the
U.S. and the U.K. should look to the Dutch model as a working example
of a beneficial harm reduction plan.

The current U.S. War on SOME Drugs is largely based on misinformation that
has been propagated since the early 20th century. It is time that the
people of this great nation stand up to the oppressive forces and demand
that public policy
be based on fact rather than fiction. The governor of New Mexico, Gary
Johnson, has already taken a great step forward by publicly admitting
that the U.S. War on SOME Drugs is a failure based on misinformation
and propaganda.

There is a difference between responsible drug use and drug abuse. No
one is advocating drug abuse, just as no one is advocating the sale of
drugs to children. U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey makes the
anti-prohibition movement sound like they want drugs in junior-high
vending machines. This is simply not the case. Responsible adult
Americans can use drugs responsibly. This has been proven time and
time again.

Alcohol prohibition failed for this reason. The most commonly used
drug in America, caffeine, is not prohibited because people can use it
responsibly. After all, Texas' favorite son, George W., committed
"youthful indiscretions" which, in all likelihood, amounts to drug
use. He was not imprisoned for his use. Similarly, current drug users
should not be imprisoned for their use. This is a health issue, not a
criminal one.

Thanks again to the Texan staff for the coverage of an
anti-prohibition issue.

JEREMY R. THOMPSON
UT alum, 1997