READERS RESPOND TO HANEMANN

To the Editor:

Kudos to Danny Hanemann for his outstanding column: "Winning the war
on drugs" (July 23).

I'd like to add that many judges and prison wardens have said that 70
to 90 percent of all property crime and violent crime is
"drug-related."

Actually almost 100 percent of all so-called "drug-related crime" is
caused by drug prohibition policies - not drugs. When Coca-Cola
contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5 cents a bottle,
the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. Neither did drug lords,
drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today.

Many currently employed in law enforcement are opposed to the idea of
re-legalizing all types of recreational drugs. That's because if drugs
were re-legalized, we would need far fewer law enforcement personnel,
far fewer prison guards and no prison builders.

Thus, many now employed in law enforcement and the prison industry
would be looking for a job or washing cars for a living.

Of course, those opposed to re-legalizing drugs because it would
affect their livelihood will not admit it. Instead they will cite
noble reasons such as protecting the children.

As if the current policies are protecting children from
drugs.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, AZ