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– Outlaw Frog Raper –

news:alt.thebird.copwatch
news:alt.law-enforcement
news:nyc.general

[ Attached Message ]

From:
"sidewheel" <khtho…@cwix.com>
To:

Date:
Tue, 25 May 1999 15:19:56 GMT
Local:
Tues, May 25 1999 11:19 am

Subject:
Drug War

A War Which Never Wins.

 A major factor in violence is the U.S. drug problem. It costs
millions-probably billions-to sustain the losses from thievery, medical
treatment of those injured by drug induced violence, the cost of AIDS
infection from prostitution to support habits, prosecution of a war that
never wins and to incarcerate pushers and addicts for possession and sale of
drugs. When gang members or other addicts are on a high, the feelings of
personal power promote aggression. The drug provoked paranoia can view
anyone as an oppressor The result is random drive by and parking lot
murders. In most of such killings, the victims may be randomly selected
targets of opportunity, but there is evidence that some victims have been
preselected and scouted for the chance to kill them. Victims may be randomly
selected, but the action of cruising and killing them now comes across as
premeditated and systematic.

The solution to the drug problem of the U.S. and to mitigation of its
violence is to take the profit out of drug dealing. Legalization alone is
not the answer. Criminal organizations would still exploit drug trafficking
as they exploit many legal activities by subterfuge and terrorism. The only
workable means to take the profit from drugs is for the federal Methadone
clinics to distribute heroin, cocaine and marijuana at cost to those who ask
for such. If all of the addictive elements of these drugs can be
synthesized, they need not be purchased from drug lords in South America and
southern Asia. The number of federal drug clinics would be expanded to
accommodate the increased influx of users. The clinics would still offer
treatment to those wanting to "kick their habit." However, acceptance of
treatment or of counseling would not be a condition of access to the low
cost drugs. Treatment, counseling and even identification would be voluntary
on the part of the user. The clinics would also dispense sterile syringes
free or at cost to inhibit the spread of AIDS. All entrants to the clinics
would be offered screening for AIDS. By identifying a large majority of AIDS
infected users, our efforts to control the spread of AIDS would be enhanced.
Although there would be many medical, economic and social advantages to such
a program, there will be opponents to it including the drug producers and
distributors. The major reason for opposition would be that it’s immoral to
condone drug use and that it would create more users. The latter is
specious: anyone who wants a fix can get it right now in the current
situation. The present "drug war" promotes usage in that the tremendous
profits from drug dealing create an army of pushers who ensnare new users.
These dealers operate everywhere including the fringes of elementary and
high schools. The young user does present a problem, but once hooked and
then "cleaned" recidivism is 95% or more. Most users of hard drugs will
eventually backslide and destroy themselves if we don’t help them as much as
we can This includes availing themselves of the services and drugs of the
clinics. Informing parents of a juvenile who comes into a clinic is a sticky
wicket. The young user would be encouraged to tell parents of their problem.
If the youngsters are denied drugs they continue to be a source of profit
and of new users as they deal to support their habit. By law the parents
would not be informed. By  public education they will discover their
children’s usage by themselves. They can then enter the counseling program
with their offspring. Without profit there will be few pushers, although
there will be those who will tout their product as heavier than that
available at the federal clinics. Such dealing would be insignificant
compared to the present gross trafficking. There would be ugly scenes of
drug parties in parks, but abiding such would bring the benefits of the
program and give the partiers help to survive and produce or to catch them
when they fall.

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