US SHOULD TAKE CUE FROM FAILURE OF ALCOHOL PROHIBITION

Dear Editor:
Thank you for publishing Robert Sharpe's outstanding letter (Drug war
isn't working, says decriminalization advocate," Saturday, March 2).

I would like to add that almost all of our so-called "drug-related"
crime is caused by drug prohibition. Nobody was robbing, stealing or
committing acts of prostitution to purchase drugs when Bayer heroin
was legally available at local pharmacies for about the same price as
Bayer aspirin.

When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5
cents a bottle we didn't have drug dealers as we know them today.
Since alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, liquor sellers no longer
settle their disputes with gun battles in the streets as they did
during alcohol prohibition.

Alcohol prohibition didn't work and drug prohibition isn't working
either except to provide for full employment for those doing the
prohibiting.

Kirk Muse,
Mesa, Ariz.