PROHIBITION STILL BAD IDEA

In 1919, the United States went dry. The great experiment of
Prohibition began. It was a great "success." It criminalized a large
part of the population who still wanted to drink and created organized
criminals. It was 14 years before the country decided that Prohibition
was a bad idea with decidedly worse, unintended consequences.

Upon its repeal, those thousands of gangsters who thrived under
Prohibition were out of work; however, our government then banned
certain drugs. And the war on drugs has been as successful as
Prohibition in keeping the suppliers wealthy. The war is going so well
that it stretches from the poppy fields of Afghanistan to the coca and
marijuana fields of South America, Mexico and North Port. Our prisons
are full of users and dealers; a shooting war is going on in Mexico
and East Los Angeles, and the billions of dollars, pesos, euros, etc.,
spent each year to stop the drug trade are going down a black hole.
Many of the people holding up banks, robbing convenience stores, or
breaking into houses are doing it to buy drugs. One definition of
insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a
different outcome each time. I think it's just dumb.

Rick Garms

Englewood