Connie Sadler writes
What about the extremely high rate of crime motivated by the need for drugs? I have personally been a victim twice (theft of my car and *nice stereo system* and a breakin to my house where much was taken)
These crimes were not caused by drugs, but by the war on drugs. Now even if heroin was legal, a junkie would be more inclined to lie and steal than a sober person, just as a drunk is more inclined to get into fights than a sober person, but heroin is not in itself a major cause of theft, just as alcohol is not in itself a major cause of violence. Certainly the violence caused by alcohol is vastly less than the violence caused by prohibition. The intrinsic cost of heroin is considerably less than the the intrinsic cost of alcohol. If we abolished the FDA, a junkie could stay stoned for less than it costs a drunk to stay drunk. He would still be a no good human being, but he would be a quite and unobtrusive no good human being. Junkies are quieter than drunks and less likely to assault you. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- We have the right to defend ourselves and our property, because of the kind of animals that we James A. Donald are. True law derives from this right, not from the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state. jamesd@acm.org