WHY I DON'T DO DRUGS

The current U.S. drug policy regarding Latin America is a stringent and
unnecessary one. The U.S. government punishes such countries as Colombia,
Bolivia and Venezuela by giving them less aid than other Latin American
countries.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops are being sent to these countries to fight the drug war.

Last summer I lived in Paraguay, and I saw a different lifestyle. The
Paraguayan farmers live in poverty.

Many of them cannot afford healthy food for their families. Few children
eat vegetables on a regular basis, because they are expensive.

Some of their parents choose to work for drug lords to make a little bit of
money to put healthy food on the table.

There is no other way for these people to make money, as most of them are
farmers.

Our country punishes these people simply for wanting to put food on their
tables.

Indeed, drugs are a bad business to get into, but the farmers need money.

Our government cracks down on them. They break up the drug industries of
Latin America, combating the smugglers, arresting those involved with
production and trafficking.

The farmers of Latin America detest illegal drugs. They use marijuana for
medicinal purposes, (to cure toothaches, for example), and they use coca
leaves for certain ceremonies.

But almost no one in Latin America abuses drugs. On the other hand, our
population buys copious amounts of marijuana and cocaine.

The illegal drug industry exists because of the many consumers living in
the United States. We cannot fight a war against drug production if we
continue to use drugs.

We need absolute decriminalization of narcotics in the United States. Drug
addiction needs to be treated as a disease, not as a crime.

This would solve many problems. The prisons wouldn't be overcrowded.
Poisoned drugs wouldn't be on the market.

There would be fewer addicts because of the additional health care that
would be connected to decriminalization.

Latin America would receive more aid, and the people wouldn't suffer as
much as they do now.

I don't do drugs because I think about the people who are being punished
for making our drugs. They don't deserve to be punished - they need help.

The United States needs to reconsider its foreign and domestic policies
regarding the illegal drug industry and narcotics.

(SIDEBAR)

Youth Voices

Editor's note: During the academic year, the Star will publish commentaries
by youth columnists. They appear on Fridays.