DEFINITIVE CASE FOR LEGAL, REGULATED MARKETS

Colin Maugham, shill for the multibillion-dollar prohibition
industry, says drug prohibition should be kept because we have
lowered cigarette smoking rates and criminals will be criminals (
Letters, March 29). Is he aware that cigarettes are legal? If they
weren't, you can be sure their sale would provide gangs with
additional billions.

Cigarettes are the paradigmatic case for legal, regulated markets.
Although dangerous, they are sold by legitimate businesspeople to
adults in a tightly controlled market, with extra taxation used to
defray the known health care costs.

Kirk Tousaw Executive director, Beyond Prohibition Foundation, Vancouver