PROCEED PROGRESSIVELY

State Attorney General Greg Stumbo makes the common mistake of confusing
drug-related crime with prohibition-related crime in his Feb. 14
commentary, "Growing caseload, low pay strain prosecutors' offices."

Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant
only increase the profitability of drug trafficking.

For addictive drugs such as methamphetamine, a spike in street prices leads
desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits.
The drug war doesn't fight crime; it fuels crime.

With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun each
other down, nor do consumers go blind drinking unregulated bathtub gin.
While U.S. politicians ignore the drug war's historical precedent, European
countries are embracing harm reduction, a public health alternative based
on the principle that both drug abuse and prohibition have the potential to
cause harm.

Examples of harm reduction include needle exchange programs to stop the
spread of HIV, marijuana regulation aimed at separating the hard and soft
drug markets, and treatment alternatives that do not require incarceration
as a prerequisite.

Unfortunately, fear of appearing soft on crime compels many U.S.
politicians to support a failed drug war that ultimately subsidizes
organized crime.

Robert Sharpe, Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.