MANY IN POLICE WORK VIEW WAR ON DRUGS AS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

To the editor:

Re: the letter headlined "Col-umn On Meth Was Outstanding" (Aug. 27):

The burgeoning methamphetamine problem is a fact.

However, based on the experience of the many police officers and other
criminal justice professionals who make up our membership, the
never-ending job of police busting illegal meth dealers and users does
little to impact the illegal drug trade.

Letter writer Kirk Muse aptly notes that while prohibition may keep
cops busy, it's a nonproductive policy.

Regardless of how many arrests police make or how many illegal meth
labs they shut down, no one in New Mexico or anywhere else who wants
meth will have much trouble scoring.

The inflated profits ensured by drug prohibition laws guarantee that
supply will always meet demand and that supply will always outmaneuver
any police efforts to curtail it.

Allowing legal, regulated access to strong stimulants will reduce the
demand for street manufactured and dangerous methamphetamine.

And funds currently used to shove drug abusers into the criminal
justice system can be used for increased accurate education and drug
treatment on demand for those with true abuse problems.

This will further reduce demand for risky drugs of all
kinds.

And one needn't worry about police being ousted into "car wash jobs."
Rather they will remain on the job, but more able to focus on crimes
such as drunk driving, domestic violence, sex crimes and corporate
fraud - to name but a few which are less obstructed when massive
police resources are burned waging the never-ending and futile drug
war.

JACK A. COLE

Executive Director

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Medford, Mass.