WE SHOULD ADOPT SWISS DRUG POLICY

Mesa, Ariz. -- I'm writing about a recent Journal-Standard article
(Police beat: Freeporter charged with drug possession) which ran in
the May 16 edition.

I am wondering who is the victim? It was less than 15 grams of
cocaine, and was probably for his own use.

Even if he intended to sell some or all of it, there was still no
victim. In a drug transaction there are willing buyers and willing
sellers. Both walk away happy unless one or both get arrested.

Do I suggest that all drugs should be sold like they were 100 years
ago in grocery stores and pharmacies with no questions asked? No.

For hard drugs like heroin and cocaine I suggest that we adopt the
Swiss drug policy. Switzerland used to have a very serious heroin
addiction problem. Now their heroin problem is a small fraction of
what it used to be.

Did the Swiss government get really tough on drug dealers and addicts?
No.

In 1994, Switzerland started an experimental program to sell heroin
addicts the drug at very low cost, even giving it to the addicts who
couldn't afford it. In 2008, 68 percent of the Swiss voted to make the
program permanent.

Have Swiss heroin-addiction rates skyrocketed? No, they have fallen
dramatically.

And so has their overall crime rate.

For the record, I have never even seen cocaine or heroin, (except on
TV) let alone used it.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, AZ