PROHIBITION SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK

Dear Editor;

Thank you for your last editorial regarding freedom of the press and
censorship or banning certain letters to the editor. I do not speak
out of self interest, only against encroachment of a police state.

There are many of us in the community who do not necessarily condone
the use of any drugs. Some of us (law abiding citizens all) think
that the use of some drugs is okay. Then some of us realize that the
prohibition of marijuana only perpetuates the increasing need for
drug enforcement laws and all that it entails. We have an
ever-increasing use of this soft drug while law enforcement tries
unsuccessfully to keep pace.

This is a vicious circle that can only be broken with an enlightened
attitude. Better that we should take the same approach as we do for
tobacco where we can see that continuing education has drastically cut its use.

More jails, more people incarcerated, more policemen, more gang
activity and more prostitution is what we are faced with when we
criminalize the use of drugs. Too bad that the establishment can not
learn from history that prohibition simply does not work.

Allow me to use that tired old axiom just once more, "If you do not
learn from history you are bound to repeat it."

Thanks again for your enlightened editorial. More people should step
up and be counted.

Sincerely,

HP Toews,

Princeton