PROHIBITION DOES NOT WORK

To the Editor:

Bob Herbert's column "Vegas and the exploitation of women" correctly
describes the atrocities resulting from illegal prostitution, but
fails to identify the core cause: When we legislate prohibition for
something that a large segment of the public insists upon, we simply
turn the industry over to criminals at great cost to society in
general and taxpayers in particular.

Consider how many conscientious citizens would almost overnight become
law breakers were we to prohibit the sale of tobacco products as we
once did alcohol!

Until the State Lottery was introduced, the numbers racket
flourished. We may not approve of people spending money on lottery
tickets, but at least the results are honest, the bets are taxed for
the benefit of the elderly, and we no longer generate and enrich
criminals.

Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman understands that legal brothels would
protect women from pimps and other predators, customer abuse, require
periodic health examinations and advice, discourage teenage sex
workers, provide normal employment benefits, and provide a source of
revenue for the city rather than for criminals.

Similarly marijuana, the most popular and a relatively benign illegal
drug, should be sold through State Stores. This would break the back
of the illegal drug industry, prevent sales to young people, and
provide a huge source of revenue to treat the rare cases of addiction
as a health problem, not as a crime.

Prohibition doesn't work: It didn't for alcohol, it won't for drugs,
and it never has for prostitution.

Robert E. Field

Editor's note: Field is co-chair of Common Sense for Drug Policy