Pubdate: Mon, 22 Mar 2010
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2010 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Dan Waylonis

LEGALIZE DRUGS TO STOP VIOLENCE

After reading about more violence in Mexico's border cities, the 
parallels to America's first prohibition against alcohol are evident. 
We learned the costly and violent lesson that prohibition does not 
work and merely encourages lawlessness.

Drug legalization will eliminate the major source of income for 
gangs, effectively shutting them down.

By applying the DEA's $2.6 billion annual budget toward treatment 
rather than an unsuccessful interdiction program, we can choose to 
handle drug abuse as a medical, rather than criminal, problem.

Dan Waylonis

Mountain View
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