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E-Mail Letters To The Editor: WorldNetDaily
Posted by FoM on September 25, 2000 at 09:10:26 PT
Dutch Treat?
Source: WorldNetDaily
Before any honest, thoughtful and effective approach to the world's drug "problem" can be addressed, at least two things must occur. First and foremost, the very definitions of the terms used in the discussion must be clarified. Legalization does not mean a full-blown, unrestricted, unregulated scheme, similar to the uncontrollable black market approach, most countries employ today. The second reason a logical, measured policy eludes us is, we discuss all illicit substances as though they were equals. 
A growing majority of the world's citizens realize that this is not only untrue, but restricts our ability to control even the most harmful concoctions. The drug warriors tell us apples are oranges, right is left, and up is down, and we quietly accept it, because, after all, it's for the children. Anything besides this out and out assault on the U.S. Constitution, disguised as a drug war, is "legalization." Pure rubbish. If the statistics are to be believed, the Dutch model is far and away, the most realistic, least harmful, and effectual drug policy used by any nation in the free world. The people of the Netherlands have concluded, and rightfully so, that cannabis is not heroin and heroin is not cocaine. Not exactly rocket science. Each substance is completely different and each requires regulation, as varied as the substances themselves, based on their actual harm to society. One thing is abundantly clear. Remove cannabis from the mix of illegal substances, allow the funding generated from its taxed, controlled, and regulated sale to be directed at prevention, education, and treatment for the most dangerous products and the drug "problem" transforms from a raging tiger, to a malevolent alley cat. If all the wasted resources used to prohibit and research cannabis were directed toward the most harmful substances, legal and illegal, the debate concerning "drugs" would end and the war on drugs could ascend the trash heap of failed social programs, occupying its rightful position alongside other anomalies of history, such as alcohol prohibition and the Salem witch trials. We are no more infallible and just as gullible today, as our ancestors, where failed, noble social experiments are involved. This burgeoning, rights-destroying behemoth called the war on drugs proves it. As long as we continue to allow the anti-drug "profiteers," be they dishonest politicians, the drug enforcement cliques within our police agencies, our government's anti-drug bureaucrats, the prison industrial complex promoters, the drug testing industrialists, the anti-drug acronyms, and retired Army officers hell-bent on lucrative second careers fighting drugs, to dictate the world's drug policies, the solutions will elude us. Exactly what they desire, else their future profits and careers would be seriously wounded and all would realize what a wicked web they've woven. Money and power corrupt, but nowhere so clearly as the war on drugs. There are no simple solutions to the drug "problem," since this malignancy, misnamed as drug policy, has festered for decades under a blanket of silence, dishonesty, and secrecy. One thing is assured, if the world's governments embrace policies closely resembling the Dutch approach, law enforcement in the U.S. would no longer feel obliged to gun down innocent American citizens, on our streets and in their homes, in search of plants, pills, herbs, potions and powders. Harm reduction is the key and this is clearly, one harm, that must end immediately. The killing of innocent adults and children by government agencies, for any reason, is not a policy I can ever or would ever support. I am absolutely a conscientious objector to this most terrible assault on our own people and it's past time for an end to this deadly war on drugs.  MIKE PLYLAR DrugSense Volunteer of the Monthhttp://drugsense.org/dsw/2000/ds00.n147.html#sec4Witch Way on Drugs? http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6788.shtmlSeizing Liberty: Just read your great article on "The Lord Giveth" and the cops steal it. Thank you for doing this article. My congressman, Asa Hutchinson, is a former federal prosecutor and he really likes this crap -- been sending a few letters pointing out where he is not quite right. I don't think it is helping, but I will not quit. I drink a six pack or so in a year and thought of smoking a little pot 30 years ago. I just never like to get in a hurray (smile). My family is laid back Baptist, and smoking is just barely tolerated. I worked in law enforcement for five years and got a bellyfull of many things. While my sheriff was several meters taller than most/many of the cops/department leaders, he would not have confiscated anything until it was a "done" deal and the guy was on his way to the penal institution. He would also not have taken anything from some innocent person that got involved inadvertently from the side and was not an active participant in the criminal act -- like I said he stood taller than many/most in honesty and true integrity. But your article really is pointing out the acute denigrating of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. This is worse than sinful in my eyes, and the damn Congress has stolen so many rights already that it didn't have the ability to steal (except that we sat on our collective butts and let them) that I am mad at all of them. I get more conservative as I get older (57 now) and madder at the stupid-mindless sheeple in the U.S. for listening/believing the political pundits and lying presidents and the elite liberal media mouth pieces. I better quit before I get PO'd here. Super article Joel and keep up the good work sir. I enjoy your perspective and appreciate your journalistic endeavor. Your work is a plus in this day of decadent/liberalism. 'Preciate ya.  BILL WHITE  Government Leading The Blind:   Keep up the good work. It's not the government's job to protect people from themselves. The problem with this country is it's full of folks who want to mind everyone's business but their own. I'm not sure that confronting the government about their liberty-limiting anti-drug policies will actually do any good, primarily because they keep drugs illegal so they can limit our liberty, but I suppose we gotta try. Preach on brother.  W.B.H.  No-Star Gen. McCaffrey:   Thanks for writing about the stupidity and arrogance of Gen. Barry McCaffrey, our federal "drug czar." This man thinks it is good to deny effective medications to terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients. He was elected by nobody and is completely unaccountable, from what I have seen. He is extraordinarily unqualified to do his job (I don't think he has any medical credentials whatsoever) and I'm looking forward to having him replaced early next year. Oh, it won't make any difference who is placed in the highest office; I can almost guarantee that replacing this bungler will be a top priority.  DANNY TERWEY Source: WorldNetDaily (US Web)Web Posted: September 25, 2000Copyright: 2000, WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.Contact: letters worldnetdaily.comAddress: PO Box 409, Cave Junction, OR 97523-0409Fax: (541) 597-1700Website: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/Related Articles: Straight Dope: Dispatches From the Drug War http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7134.shtmlThe Lord Giveth, The Police Taketh Away http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7109.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Joel Miller http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Joel+Miller 
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Comment #1 posted by Kanabys on September 26, 2000 at 05:41:57 PT
We need.....
more reporters like this one! The TRUTH needs to be spread and it will eventually get done, one little article at a time. Pax
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