LEGALIZE?

War On Narcotics

BELIEVE it or not, an American religious denomination has called for
legalizing all narcotics, which would halt the billion-dollar national "war
on drugs" and free hundreds of thousands of prison inmates.

Meeting last week in Quebec City, the Unitarian Universalist Association
passed a resolution saying:

"Drug abuse issues are essentially matters for medical attention. We do not
believe that drug use should be considered criminal behavior." It indicated
that narcotics should be regulated through channels similar to those used
for prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

The denomination's president, who is black, said:

"The so-called 'war on drugs' is creating violence, endangering children,
clogging the criminal justice system, eroding civil liberties, and
disproportionately punishing people of color. It's time for a cease-fire."

Of course, conservative politicians will denounce this proposal and call
instead for locking up more Americans. But we think the church stand
reflects a lot of wisdom.

Prohibition, America's historic attempt to ban alcohol, was a colossal
flop. And the "war on drugs" is virtually a carbon copy of it.