Modern Prohibition

I read Stephen Merrill's letter to the editor concerning the war on drugs and have to say that I agree completely. The problem with the drug war is that it isn't doing anywhere near enough to reduce demand and is dumping billions of dollars into policy that has greatly contributed to the problem of drug related crimes.

As it was with Prohibition eighty years ago, the issue now is clearly one of economics - basic supply and demand. As long as the demand remains unchanged and the supply is decreased (and the risk associated increased), the prices will continue climbing higher. Unlike other non-addictive products, the demand will not decrease due to the increase in price or the risk in obtaining them. In fact, the opposite occurs; as they become tolerant of higher and higher amounts of the drugs, they must take even more to achieve the same high. The people who are using drugs have little control over their addiction, and will do whatever is necessary to continue getting drugs. As a result, the increase in prices only pushes them further into a life of crime.

The government, through the current drug policy, has create an uncontrollable monster. Demand continues largely unreduced, the supply within the country decreases, and the risk associated with bringing more here increases, pushing prices higher and higher, and making the business of dealing drugs more lucrative every day. The underground drug trade is completely unregulated. Because the industry is unregulated, there is no assurance of the quality of the products and frequently people are killed by improperly produced drugs.

The only way to reduce the impact of drugs on our society is to fight the industry on the economic level. By legalizing the drug trade, you reduce the risk associated and allow the supply to increase to catch up with demand. Prices will begin falling immediately. As a result, drug related crimes will decrease; people will no longer feel compelled to rob others for drug money. At the same time, the government will the have a basis for regulating the industry as it does currently with alcohol and tobacco and the quality and safety of the products will improve.

With the government no longer wasting billions of dollars on interdiction, more money will be available for programs designed to reduce demand in the first place. Imagine if the nearly twenty billion dollars spent on the drug war on 2000 was used entirely to prevent people from trying drugs in the first place and on research into ways to combat addiction. If we could find a way to cure or, at the very least, treat addiction, the war on drugs would be a complete success. Without addiction, the demand would be reduced to next to nothing, and without sky-high demand, the drug industry would be no more lucrative than any other business. The drug problem as we know it would be eliminated.

I think it is high time that the government start proactively working to fix the causes of the drug crises and quit wasting valuable resources on fighting a no win battle against the results. As long as the demand exists, there will always be people ready to supply it. As long as the government keeps trying to make obtaining drugs harder, the price will increase and so will the number and severity of related crimes. It is time this vicious circle was broken and a real solution sought.




Modern Prohibition I read Stephen Merrill's letter to the editor concerning the war on drugs and have to say that I agree completely. The problem with the drug war is that it isn't doing anywhere near enough to reduce demand and is dumping billions of dollars into policy that has greatly contributed to the problem of drug related crimes. As it was with Prohibition eighty years ago, the issue now is clearly one of economics - basic supply and demand. As long as the demand remains unchanged and the supply is decreased (and the risk associated increased), the prices will continue climbing higher. Unlike other non-addictive products, the demand will not decrease due to the increase in price or the risk in obtaining them. In fact, the opposite occurs; as they become tolerant of higher and higher amounts of the drugs, they must take even more to achieve the same high. The people who are using drugs have little control over their addiction, and will do whatever is necessary to continue getting drugs. As a result, the increase in prices only pushes them further into a life of crime. The government, through the current drug policy, has create an uncontrollable monster. Demand continues largely unreduced, the supply within the country decreases, and the risk associated with bringing more here increases, pushing prices higher and higher, and making the business of dealing drugs more lucrative every day. The underground drug trade is completely unregulated. Because the industry is unregulated, there is no assurance of the quality of the products and frequently people are killed by improperly produced drugs. The only way to reduce the impact of drugs on our society is to fight the industry on the economic level. By legalizing the drug trade, you reduce the risk associated and allow the supply to increase to catch up with demand. Prices will begin falling immediately. As a result, drug related crimes will decrease; people will no longer feel compelled to rob others for drug money. At the same time, the government will the have a basis for regulating the industry as it does currently with alcohol and tobacco and the quality and safety of the products will improve. With the government no longer wasting billions of dollars on interdiction, more money will be available for programs designed to reduce demand in the first place. Imagine if the nearly twenty billion dollars spent on the drug war on 2000 was used entirely to prevent people from trying drugs in the first place and on research into ways to combat addiction. If we could find a way to cure or, at the very least, treat addiction, the war on drugs would be a complete success. Without addiction, the demand would be reduced to next to nothing, and without sky-high demand, the drug industry would be no more lucrative than any other business. The drug problem as we know it would be eliminated. I think it is high time that the government start proactively working to fix the causes of the drug crises and quit wasting valuable resources on fighting a no win battle against the results. As long as the demand exists, there will always be people ready to supply it. As long as the government keeps trying to make obtaining drugs harder, the price will increase and so will the number and severity of related crimes. It is time this vicious circle was broken and a real solution sought.