Pubdate: Tue, 17 Feb 2004
Source: Times-Picayune, The (LA)
Copyright: 2004 The Times-Picayune
Contact:  http://www.nola.com/t-p/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/848
Author: Rich Page
Note: Series-Related Letter to Editor

PROHIBITION IS DEADLY

Re: "Scared silent," Page 1, Feb. 13.

Additional tax dollars spent on the New Orleans witness protection program 
will not solve the problem of murder in our city. As long as the drug war 
continues, the killing will continue. As long as there is a high demand for 
drugs, incarcerated homicidal drugs dealers will simply be replaced by new 
recruits.

A great number of lives would be saved in our city if drugs were legalized, 
taxed and regulated.

A more reasonable allocation of resources would be in the funding of 
anti-drug-use initiatives. The prohibitionist approach has failed to make 
drugs inaccessible to the public. The violent underground market, which it 
has produced, needs to be dissipated. Until then, the blood will continue 
to run through our streets.

Rich Page

New Orleans
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman