DRUGS

REGARDING Duncan Eddy's outstanding letter (12.5.04), I'd like to add that
almost all of the problems we have with illegal drugs are because certain
(politically selected) drugs are illegal. Because certain drugs are
illegal, they are of unknown quality, unknown purity and unknown potency -
just like alcohol was when it was illegal in the United States. And just
like alcohol was when it was illegal, certain recreational drugs are
untaxed, unregulated and controlled by criminal gangs. Many judges and
prison wardens have said that 70% to 90% of all violent crime and property
crime is "drug-related". Actually, almost 100% of our so-called
"drug-related crime" is caused by drug prohibition policies, not drugs.

When Coca Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5c a
bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist; neither did druglords,
drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today. If we re-legalised
all types of recreational drugs and made them legally available in local
licensed business establishments for pennies per dose, we would need far
fewer law enforcement personnel, far fewer prison guards and no prison
builders. And many so-called "drug warriors" would be looking for a job or
washing cars for a living. Thus, their concern for legalising recreational
drugs.

Kirk Muse

Arizona