PROHIBITION WON'T WORK THIS TIME

I'm writing about Wm. Jules Johnson's thoughtful letter: "Pass Amendment To
Ban Tobacco Sales" (Jan. 5). Certainly, if drugs were made illegal based
upon their danger and the harm they cause, tobacco should be the first
product prohibited and alcohol the second.

We tried prohibiting alcohol and it didn't work. Alcohol prohibition
caused much more harm than it prevented. It corrupted all levels of
government from the cops on the beat on up.

People didn't stop buying and drinking alcohol, they just stopped buying it
from regulated sources. The sale and distribution was controlled by
criminal gangs. The alcohol was of unknown quality, purity and potency
that resulted in needless deaths and blindings.

Essentially the same thing is happening today with the prohibition of
recreational drugs. It's not working either-- except to provide full
employment for those doing the prohibiting.

Kirk Muse

Mesa