LEGALIZING DRUGS COULD STEM CRIME

Section one of the April 3 edition of The Advocate was dominated by
stories about the terrible epidemic of murder and other criminal
activity causing great distress in New Orleans.

All these problems could be eliminated with one stroke of the
government's pen. Decriminalize the use and sale of drugs.

Because these drugs are illegal, their price is very, very high.
Nevertheless, many people are willing to risk long jail sentences,
murder people, or be killed themselves trying to get the drugs for
their own use or to sell at huge profits.

Undeniably, our society would be better off if no one used or sold these drugs.

But, equally undeniably, the government's "War on Drugs" has failed.
These items are readily available. Don't we ever learn?

In the 1920s and early 1930s, our government decreed that since we
would all be better off if no one consumed alcoholic beverages,
alcohol consumption was made illegal.

All the curses the use of alcohol brings on society would be
eliminated. This was called the "Noble Experiment."

Wow! Were they wrong.

After all, all Al Capone ever did was to go into the liquor business.
The difference was that his profits were so high that he eliminated
competition with submachine guns rather than with low prices and good service.

Reasonable men saw that the experiment had failed. Alcohol was once
again made a legal substance for sale and consumption. The nation has survived.

I hope that my fellow readers of The Advocate do not take this letter
to indicate that I favor, promote or recommend the use of
mind-altering substances. I do not

But experience teaches that outlawing their use does not decrease
their use. It only creates a lot of outlaws.

John F. Ferry, M.D.

retired physician/artist

New Iberia