Pubdate: Mon, 09 Sep 2002 Source: Blade, The (Toledo, OH) Copyright: 2002 The Blade Contact: http://www.toledoblade.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/48 Author: Jim White Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism) LEGALIZE DRUGS, DE-FUND TERRORISTS Now that the DEA has determined that some illegal drug profits are being diverted to terrorists, the first thing our government should do is stop the flow of illegal drugs by allowing the production right here in the United States and controlling the distribution of those drugs so that terrorists are denied any funding. It is clear to anyone with an IQ greater than 10 that stopping drug use isn't going to happen anytime soon, so the only other way to stop the flow of money to terrorists is to control the black market in drugs, not dissimilar to the way we took control of alcohol when that particular brand of gangster terrorism was rampant. I guess it's a matter of priority, which is more important. We have an opportunity to reduce the harm associated with drug use by legalizing, regulating, and controlling drugs, and de-funding terrorists at the same time, or we can keep trying to wage a war on drugs and terrorism. Though the decision ought to be left to people who aren't as nescient as the DEA. JIM WHITE Oregon - --- MAP posted-by: Tom