You know life is full of surprises, just ask Cynthia Robinson who
is now paralyzed from the waist down. On Aug. 13 a stray bullet
intended for some low-life crack-dealer, no doubt fired by
another low-life crack-dealer nicked her spinal cord as she drove
home from work. Or 3 months later and Wednesday's (11/12)
wounding of a 16-year old girl in the same area of Northeast
Portland, same scenario, ("Random shots fired from passing car
wound teen-age girl," 11/13/97).

In the time between these shootings the local drug dealers, like
cockroaches exposed to light, scattered into shadows after a
Sept. 5 police raid on a nearby gas station where illegal drugs
were being sold. But once the darkness returns, after law
enforcement and media retreat... it's business as usual. Even
the cops admit, "Wednesday's shooting is the result of drug
dealers returning to the area," said Gang Enforcement officer
Peter Simpson.

Anyone forced to live with roaches knows, they always come back.
But we refuse to live like this! "Just Say No" to this violent
darkness crawling with carriers of addiction diseases. There's a
public health approach to drug abuse called Harm Reduction,
sometimes referred to as "medicalization." We think it will work
better. It certainly deserves a fair chance, witness the obvious
failure of current drug policies. Just ask Cynthia Robinson.

It's time for Oregon to once again lead the way. It's time to
end this senseless violence related to illegal drugs
distribution. We must eliminate black-market profits by
regulating adult use in a manner which respects freedom of
choice, while demanding personal accountability. Which is
exactly what the League's 'Drugs Control Amendment' will do.
Roaches beware, the exterminator is here.

Floyd Ferris Landrath
Director, American Antiprohibition League