DRUG PROHIBITION IS THE PROBLEM

Dear Editor:

Almost two score and two years ago, a great American stood in the symbolic
shadow of another great American and told us of his dream.

Two score and two years ago, Black men, women and children were shackled by
the symbolic chains of segregation and discrimination.

Today, Black men and women are shackled by the real chains of prison cells.
Mostly for harming nobody except themselves or selling to a willing buyer
some unapproved substance.

Two score and two years ago, the United States had a total of about two
hundred thousand prisoners. Today we have more than two million one hundred
thousand prisoners, more than any other country on the planet, more than
any other country in history.

The United States has fewer than 5 percent of the world's population, but
more than 25 percent of the world's prisoners. In other words, one out of
every four prisoners in the world is locked in an American jail or prison.

Howard Woolridge of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition says that 75
percent of our felony crime is caused by our drug prohibition policies. Not
drugs, but rather our drug prohibition policies.

And the vast majority of those arrested and jailed for drug war caused
crime are Blacks and Hispanics, even though Blacks, whites and Hispanics
use drugs at about the same rate.

Ninety years ago, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. That's
because all types of recreational drugs were legally available in local
pharmacies for pennies per dose.

Ninety years ago, deaths from recreational drugs were very rare. That's
because the drugs were of known quality, known purity and known potency,
just the opposite of the black market drugs of today.

Drugs are not our main problem. Drug prohibition is our main problem.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.