LETTER TO THE EDITOR: DRUG WAR CAUSES MORE DAMAGE THAN
DRUGS

To the editor: If Jim Munn ("Can we ever win the drug war?" Times,
Monday, March 1) is truly concerned about the well-being of young
people who use drugs, he must support ending drug
prohibition.

Two major reasons support legalizing drugs. First, there's the
historic fact that there was no crime associated with legalized drug
addiction. Secondly, accidental drug deaths were extremely rare when
addicts could buy all of the morphine, heroin, cocaine and anything
else they wanted cheaply and legally at the corner pharmacy. These
facts are also observed in the Swiss Heroin Maintenance Program.
Since 1991, the Swiss have not had a single fatal overdose in their
program and "drug crime" has dropped 97 percent since the Swiss began
allowing addicts to use pure heroin and other drugs. Since the two
most dangerous consequences of drug use are a prison sentence or an
accidental overdose, legalization which prevents these outcomes is a
good idea. Mr. Munn might find it interesting to note that the Swiss
have seen an 82 percent reduction in drug use since implementing
Heroin Maintenance. U.S. drug policy causes crime and drug deaths, so
repeal makes a lot of sense.

Ralph Givens

Gloucester