HUMAN NATURE WON'T CHANGE

Drugs did not spawn Mexico's organized crime networks. Just as
alcohol prohibition gave rise to Al Capone, drug prohibition created
the violent drug-trafficking organizations blamed for murders in Mexico.

With alcohol prohibition repealed in the U.S., liquor bootleggers no
longer kill each other in drive-by shootings. Mexico's recent upsurge
in violence began after an anti-drug crackdown created a power vacuum
among competing cartels. From a political perspective, Mexican
President Felipe Calderon stands to benefit from the violence.

The drug war is perpetuated by the mainstream media's complicity in
refusing to put so-called "drug-related" crime in context. U.S.
politicians have proven particularly adept at confusing the drug
war's collateral damage with drugs themselves.

Drug prohibition funds organized crime at home and terrorism abroad,
which is then used to justify increase drug war spending.

It's time to end this madness. Like it or not, drugs are here to
stay. Changing human nature is not an option. We've been trying that
for decades.

Reforming harmful drug laws, however, is an option, and one that
Congress should pursue.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington