PROHIBITION ADDS TO DRUG TRAFFICKING

Regarding Anthony Gregory's Dec. 7 op-ed, the drug war has a clear
historical precedent in alcohol prohibition. Attempts to limit the
supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase
the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like
heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase
criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight
crime, it fuels crime.

With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun
each other down in drive-by shootings, nor do consumers go blind
drinking unregulated bathtub gin. While U.S. politicians ignore the
drug war's historical precedent, European countries are embracing harm
reduction, a public health alternative based on the principle that
both drug abuse and prohibition have the potential to cause harm.

Examples of harm reduction include needle exchange programs to stop
the spread of HIV, marijuana regulation aimed at separating the hard
and soft drug markets, and treatment alternatives that do not require
incarceration as a prerequisite. Unfortunately, fear of appearing
"soft on crime" compels many U.S. politicians to support a failed drug
war that ultimately subsidizes organized crime. Drug abuse is bad, but
drug prohibition is worse.

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, DC