Pubdate: Fri, 01 Apr 2005 Source: High Point Enterprise (NC) Copyright: 2005 High Point Enterprise Contact: http://www.hpe.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576 Author: Robert Gregg WE CAN'T WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS How long does it take American lawmakers to learn the lessons of Prohibition? When alcohol was an illegal drug, a vast black market arose to make the profits by filling the large demand. The government lost a vast revenue stream and alcohol consumption by minors increased. Before Prohibition, no one had ever heard of what became the Mafia. Of course those who didn't mind violating the laws made out like (pardon the pun) bandits. The people of this country wanted alcohol and its change in legal status did not cause their desire for alcohol to end. When alcohol became legal again, the crime families moved on to profit from other black markets, using the vast profits from Prohibition. We cannot and never will win a war on illegal drugs because the taxpayers of this country support both sides of this so-called war. We pay the billions in taxes to keep the drugs out and we pay the drug dealers billions for the drugs they provide. Let's get off this merry-go-round and take the profits away from the drug dealers and terrorists. Regulate, tax and treat the few who need it. Robert Gregg Marshville - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin