Pubdate: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 Source: New Mexican, The (Santa Fe, NM) Copyright: 2006 The Santa Fe New Mexican Contact: http://www.freenewmexican.com/emailforms/letters.php Website: http://www.freenewmexican.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/695 Author: Kirk Muse Note: Titled by MAP CZECH FREEDOM In a recent Los Angeles Times article titled: "A Czech toke on freedom" the author wrote that in the Czech Republic adults may legally possess and grow small amounts of marijuana. The article said that Czech citizens use marijuana at higher rates than any other Western European country. Therefore, according to the logic of our drug war cheerleaders, the Czech Republic must have a very high crime rate. When I did a Google search for "crime in Czech Republic" I found that they have a homicide rate of 2 per 100,000 population. Their rate of robbery & violent theft was also at 2 per 100,000 population. Drug offenses are listed at 1 per 100,000 population per year. I suggest that the readers compare the U. S. and Czech crime rates, then decide which country has the best drug policies. Kirk Muse - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom