FEDS AND 'DECRIM'

Editor, Daily News:

Ben Bova's ideas on drugs are on the right track, except for the word
"decriminalization."

Decriminalization (decrim) is usually defined as letting users use so
we can focus police resources on kingpins. The law of supply and
demand would argue that decrim, thus defined, would drive up drug
prices, even if demand stayed flat, which it probably wouldn't. This
added profit would draw in more greedy, violent men, disrespectful of the law.

The 1920s was, in effect, a time of decrimmed alcohol, although we
didn't call it that. We let drinkers drink, while sending bootleggers
to prison. Consider Big Bill Thompson and Al Capone.

When we ended national Prohibition in 1933, we didn't decriminalize
or legalize. We got the feds out and let each state decide. If that
isn't politically possible in today's big-government America, the
feds should focus on problem users, not on casual users. It would
save taxpayers a bundle by cutting the costs to investigate,
prosecute and incarcerate drug offenders.

Drug taxes would help too. It worked that way for alcohol after 1933.

John Chase

Palm Harbor