REPEAL DRUG LAW AND DON'T REPLACE THEM

To the Editor:

With respect to your editorial, "Rocky Place," we need much more than
reform of the Rockefeller drug laws. Though admirable in intent, with
reform hopelessly stalled by a dysfunctional New York state
government, another approach is sorely needed.

In 1923, America was three years into federal alcohol prohibition, and
every state except Maryland had enacted its own version of
Prohibition. State courts became jammed with liquor cases, illicit
commerce in alcohol caused rampant violence, and organized crime took
hold.

In response to this crisis, New York State Sen. Louis Curvillier
introduced a measure he claimed would give badly needed relief to the
New York state criminal justice system. It was ingeniously simple and
did not require any funding.

The measure merely repealed New York state prohibition laws, and
replaced them with nothing. The bill passed the legislature and was
signed into law by Gov. Al Smith.

The effect of this law was to shift the burden of enforcing the
prohibition laws from state to federal authorities for the ten
remaining years of Prohibition.

Not only did this unburden the New York state criminal justice system
and save money, it reduced most of the Prohibition-related violence
that plagued other parts of the country.

We now have a drug Prohibition that has the same pernicious effects as
the old alcohol Prohibition and adds racial and economic
discrimination. Eighty years ago, New York state set a precedent of
common sense. It needs to do so again.

Repeal the Rockefeller drug laws, and replace them with nothing. This
would be a wonderful way to start the 21st century.

Gene Tinelli

Jamesville