"POT-HIBITION" CREATED DRUG CRIME

Few people realize what a colossal failure drug prohibition is. People
being misled by government officials do not know that the United
States never had a "drug problem" until drug crusaders enacted
prohibition laws. Before we had drug laws, there was no such thing as
"drug crime." No one was robbing, whoring and murdering over drugs
when addicts could buy all of the morphine, heroin, cocaine and
anything else they wanted cheaply and legally at the corner pharmacy.

There were no drug gangs, no criminal drug cartels and no drug
problem. A legal heroin habit cost less than tobacco addiction - 50
cents per week in 1914 - and "drug crime" was unknown. Search the
historic archives in vain trying to find a robbery, burglary, or
assault associated with drug addiction when drugs were legal. The term
"drug crime" is an invention of prohibitionists trying to cover the
effects of their failed drug policy.

It's worth remembering that Eliot Ness never put the booze gangs out
of business. Repeal and a regulated market for adult alcohol use did
that in short order. Repeal put the mob out of the bootlegging
business and we haven't had a shoot out or a bombing over beer routes
since 1933.

Legalizing marijuana will be a small step toward ending the most
destructive domestic policy since chattel slavery was abolished.

Ralph Givens

Daly City, Calif.