I DIDN'T INHALE, SO WON'T HOLD BREATH ON LEGALIZING DRUGS

Editor, the Record:

Please bear with me and keep an open mind. A long while ago we lost
the war on illegal alcohol and we are now badly losing the war on
drugs. It is a classic case of losing sight of our objective (safety)
and doubling our efforts. Give people the choice? Legalize drugs.

What bad things would happen? Millions of drug enforcement people,
dogs, drug pushers and cartels would be unemployed.

Even paying the unemployment and re-training costs, Congress would
not know what to do with the hundreds of billions left in the budget each year.

The population will rise substantially due to the lack of
drug-related murders. The jail-building boom will die and jails will
tend to be empty. The media will have to find good news to replace
the drug-related bad news. Burglaries/robberies would mostly be to
get enough money to attend a professional sporting event and not to
get money for drugs. And more people may choose to use drugs?

What goods things would happen? If Congress does not turn over
control of the drug industry to the oil industry, for those who
choose to use them, drug prices should drop. And as a young person
close to me said "Legal drugs may be less attractive."

Don't get your hopes up for legalizing drugs. The illegal drug
industry has us brainwashed. Look at the drug money that is being
thrown at the California fight to legalize marijuana, a first step in
the process. Drug money and the associated power will not let it
happen. Are we really powerless?

Sarcasm aside, I believe that if you look coldly at the facts, making
drugs legal might make America safer.

Mike Langan

Stroud Township