THE OTHER DRUG OPTION

I'm writing about the letter from Radix Y. Faruq ["Taking Crime
Personally," Sept. 12]. Unfortunately, the common-sense solution to
Asheville's crime problem lies in Washington, D.C.--not Asheville or
any other city or town in the United States. Since the vast majority
of all of our violent crime and property crime is caused by our
drug-prohibition policies, the common-sense solution is to
re-legalize all of our now-illegal drugs. Then the drugs can be sold
in legal, regulated and licensed business establishments. Then drug
dealers as we know them will disappear for economic reasons.

Then our so-called "drug-related crime" will be in our past--not our
future. Most people currently employed in law enforcement are against
the re-legalization of our now illegal drugs.

That's because we would need far fewer law enforcement personnel if
all drugs were re-legalized. Also, we would need far fewer jail and
prison guards, and no jail or prison builders. However, there is one
organization made up of law-enforcement personnel who favor the
re-legalization of all drugs, despite the fact that it's against
their own economic self interest to do so: L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement
Against Prohibition).

I suggest the readers visit the L.E.A.P. Web site
(http://www.leap.cc); then arrange for a L.E.A.P. speaker to give an
informative and entertaining talk to any organization or group about
our current and past drug policies.

Most will arrive at the talk skeptical; most will leave convinced.

Convinced that we need to make major changes to our nation's drug policies.

Kirk Muse Mesa, Ariz.