DRUG PROHIBITION IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

To the Cigar,

I'm writing about Scott Russ's outstanding letter, "America's Problem
Is Prohibition, Not Drugs" (9-16-03). I'd like to add that our drug
prohibition policies actually create the crime that it supposedly
attempts to fight.

Notice that we have almost no "tobacco-related crime" even though
tobacco products are highly addictive and mind-altering. That would
soon change if tobacco products were taken off the legitimate market
and criminalized.

Soon we would have "tobacco-related crime," tobacco lords and tobacco
cartels. Soon tobacco would be untaxed, unregulated and controlled by
criminals-just like recreational drugs are today.

And soon we would have politicians vowing to protect us and our
children from tobacco addiction and the tobacco dealers.

Best regards,

Kirk Muse

Mesa, AZ