PROHIBITION DIDN'T WORK WITH ALCOHOL AND WON'T WORK WITH OTHER DRUGS, EITHER

The author of the letter, "Drugs ruined what was once a nice little
neighborhood," (AC--T, May 20), should delve deeper into the history
of drug prohibition before blaming "drugs" for the effects of drug
prohibition. People are committing violent crimes in West Asheville
because of a long failed prohibition policy that brings violence,
disease and death where none existed previously, not because they are
high on drugs.

The same thing happened during Alcohol Prohibition, but people didn't
blame bootlegger crimes on drunkenness. They knew that the
prohibition laws were behind the reign of terror from criminals like
Al Capone and Lucky Luciano.

Exactly the same thing is happening with a long failed drug crusade.

It's worth remembering that Eliot Ness never put the booze barons out
of business. Repeal and a regulated market for alcohol did that. A
drug crusade based on the same principles cannot work any better than
Alcohol Prohibition did. (see: Did Alcohol Prohibition Reduce Alcohol
Consumption and Crime?
http://www.druglibrary.org/prohibitionresults.htm and
http://www.druglibrary.org/prohibitionresults.htm#a2 )

Since repeal of Alcohol Prohibition we no longer see shootouts,
bombings and gang wars over beer distribution routes. The same will
hold true when we end a counterproductive drug war and establish a
regulated market for adult drug use.

Ralph Givens, Daly City, Calif.