VICTIMS OF THE DRUG WAR

The violent turf wars being waged on Pittsburgh streets are a direct
result of drug prohibition ("Police: Pittsburgh street war risks
innocent lives: Drugs and rivalries are blamed for the violence
that's killed 23 this year," May 2 and PghTrib.com). Attempts to
limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only
increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs
such as heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to
increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war
doesn't fight crime; it fuels crime.

With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer
gunned each other down in drive-by shootings, nor do consumers go
blind drinking unregulated bathtub gin. While U.S. politicians ignore
the drug war's historical precedent, European countries are embracing
harm reduction, a public health alternative based on the principle
that both drug abuse and prohibition have the potential to cause
harm. Unfortunately, fear of appearing "soft on crime" compels many
U.S. politicians to support a failed drug war that ultimately
subsidizes organized crime. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe

Washington, D.C.

The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy (csdp.org).