WAR ON DRUGS BOOSTS PRICE, HELPS FEED CRIME

Drug law reform in Ohio? It's about time. Put the "boogey-man" hype aside,
the fear tactics that you have been fed by the people who have something to
gain by maintaining the drug war. Then ask yourself. Who among us would not
want to have all people to be healthy and free of drug dependence? If your
answer to that question is "Certainly, everyone I know," then consider this
- - alcohol prohibition tore America apart during the '20s and '30s and
spawned organized crime. Today, the war on drugs keeps it going.

Criminal penalties have not, will not, and cannot prevent drug use. Just as
it did with booze, criminal penalties drive up the price of drugs, which
(a) makes dealing very profitable and (b) increases real crime because
addicts must steal to support their addiction to expensive drugs. We, as a
compassionate society, have elected to make the consumption of alcoholic
beverages legal. For those who abuse the substance, we have any number of
private-sector treatment programs. The same logic will work for drug abuse.

The three extremely wealthy businessmen who are bankrolling support for
"decriminalization;" what do they personally have to gain by
compassionately bringing an end to the harsh treatment of non-violent drug
users? And will Bob Taft gain by keeping you in fear of compassionately
treating rather than incarcerating a non violent drug user?

Barry Schlimmne

Montgomery