Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jun 2002
Source: Waukesha Freeman (WI)
Copyright: 2002 The Waukesha Freeman
Contact: (262) 542-8259
Website: http://www.freemanol.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/770
Author: Peter Ludyjan

WAR ON DRUGS IS WRONG BATTLE

I ask you, as one private American citizen to another: If drugs were legal, 
would you rush down to your local store and load up? Of course not. If 
you're not into that scene by now, it will make no difference in your life, 
right?

Wrong - it will make a big difference. Drugs could then be taxed and 
quality control measures would save many lives now lost. It will take 
thousands of young men off the street corners where they now kill each 
other - and anyone else - in order to ply their trade. It's time to stop 
spending billions on a war against the largest free enterprise business in 
the world today. The chances of winning are the same as having zero 
pregnancies using only abstinence as a birth-control method. Let's use that 
money on health care instead.

Chances of drugs being legalized? Zero. The thought of finding jobs for the 
500,000 that would be let out of prison, 500,000 prison guards, law 
enforcement and all the peripheral jobs that are lost will stop that idea 
in a hurry. Not to mention the opposition from the sellers of firearms, 
alcohol and every other industry that stands to lose money.

Soon thousands of Mexican trucks will roll across the border heading to 
every town in the Unites States. Each truck will have two fuel tanks about 
the size of a 55-gallon drum. If there is truly a war on drugs, why has the 
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is illegal to make random 
searches of gas tanks at the Mexican border?

Peter Ludyjan, Waukesha
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