DRUG LAWS CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS

If tough-on-drugs policies worked, the quixotic goal of a drug-free America
would have been reached a long time ago. And if tolerant drug policies
created more drug use, the Netherlands would have much higher drug usage
rates than the United States.

It does not. In fact, the Dutch use marijuana and other recreational drugs
at much lower rates than Americans do. See the Web site:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm.

And if tolerant drug policies caused more overall crime, especially violent
crime, the Dutch would have much higher crime rates than the United States.
It does not. The Dutch murder rate is less than one-third the U. S. per
capita murder rate and its rate of incarceration is about one-seventh the
U. S. incarceration rate.

In the Netherlands, marijuana is sold to adults without criminals actions
in coffee shops. In the United States, marijuana is sold by criminals who
often sell other, much more dangerous drugs, and who often offer free
samples of the more dangerous drugs to their marijuana customers -- thus
the gateway effect.

Legalize, regulate and control the sale of marijuana and we close the gateway.

Kirk Muse

Resident

Mesa, Ariz.