Admiral Inman

[Perry E. Metzger]

"Connie Sadler (415)725-7703" says:
> 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) in crimes which appeared to be motivated by the the need for
> drugs. I don't see where legalizing drugs would motivate addicts to
> start working to legitimately pay for their habits.

No, but perhaps you could note that the price of drugs is hundreds of
times higher than it would be without illegalization. Cocaine and
heroin are amazingly cheap per dose before seven layers of smugglers
and dealers get into the act.

I used to pass by the rummy's in lower manhattan on Bowery and
Lafayette Street all the time. I have yet to see a wino on the Bowery
rob anyone to support his habit -- he's got plenty of options to get
fucked up out of his mind for a few dollars a day. If anything, the
currently illegal "white powder" drugs would be far cheaper per dose
than thunderbird.

We might also note that the bulk of the deadly crime associated with
the drug trade is not junkies stealing to pay for their habits but
dealers involved in turf wars. No more gang drive-bys if you legalize
drugs, folks. When was the last time you saw a pair of liquor store
owners having a gun battle over turf?

Beyond this, however, is the inherent foolishness in thinking that
keeping the drugs illegal will do any good. We have already seen that
an order of magnitude increase in the money spent on drug enforcement
over the last decade has produced NO noticeable change in the size of
the drug trade, and has, if anything, made the problem worse. Drugs
are even available in maxium security prisons, where, supposedly,
there is absolute control over what enters and what leaves. Given
that, there is no quantity of money we could possibly spend that would
stop the drug trade -- even unto the point of eliminating all human
freedom in our society.

I am unwilling to sell my birthright for a mess of pottage. We are
sacrificing billions of dollars and all our civil rights for NOTHING
VISIBLE AT ALL. Even were you correct that drugs were an intolerable
menace to society it has long been obvious that drug law enforcement
does no good whatsoever in lowering the rate of drug "crime" and if
anything causes harm by driving the price up and creating a huge
profit opportunity for the unscrupulous.

Perry