AMERICA'S WAR ON DRUGS FUELS CRIME

Regarding the Oct. 27 op-ed column, "Good police work aside, drug
crime is society's choice": Bethlehem attorney Donald P. Russo is to
be commended for speaking out against the war on drugs. 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alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun each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 the drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Arlington, VA