By Carl F. Worden Source: Sierra Times A rock can be used as the cornerstone of a lifesaving hospital, or even a church, just as it can be used to crush a man's skull. Everything God has given us can be used for both good and evil. With that in mind, a careful appraisal of the Bible reveals that God has never advocated a ban on anything. God is an advocate of free will, tempered by the promise of judgment if that free will is used for evil purposes. To this day, the same people who now admit that Prohibition of alcohol was a disastrous mistake, will still insist the War On Drugs isn't. There is no difference. Our government has used the War On Drugs, hereinafter referred to as the WOD, as an excuse to infringe upon, and, in some cases, entirely butcher, our Bill of Rights. They have sold these infringements to you and yours, based upon the perpetually wrong philosophy that the ends justify the means. In general, the American public, and perhaps some of you, bought that philosophy hook, line and sinker. I will now dispel the myths perpetrated upon the masses by our benevolent government regarding the WOD. Unless you live in a milk carton discarded just inside some wilderness area, you know that illegal drugs are available to anyone wanting to purchase them. As clean cut as I appear to be, I can "score" whatever illegal drugs I might want to try with the help of acquaintances I might meet virtually anywhere in this country. The fact is, if drugs were legalized today, I doubt their availability would be any greater than it currently is. Given that simple fact, how come our entire population isn't in a drug induced fog right now? For that matter, why aren't YOU in a drug induced fog right now? Is it, perhaps, that you chose not to indulge? And if currently illegal drugs were legalized effective tomorrow, would you be the first in line to use them? Probably not, right? Oh sure, you might try a little pot just to know what all the hubbub is about, but I doubt you'd soon be injecting heroin or meth amphetamines into your veins. Just the thought of that sends shudders into most people! Put me to the test. Tomorrow, ask every person you meet this question: If hard illegal drugs were legalized, would you use them? You will find that 98% of all the people asked that question will give an emphatically negative answer. The fact is, the other 2% who answer in the positive are probably already using them! What's wrong with this picture? Our government says the WOD must continue to protect us from our assumed inability to resist that which can harm us. "My God", they say, "you can't do that!" "Why, we'd have an epidemic on our hands!" But wait, didn't we just establish that these illegal drugs are available right now to anyone who wants to use them? Is there anyone reading this that believes the designation "illegal" inhibits anyone from using these substances, considering their wide availability and low risk of discovery? THINK! You've been fed a big fat, government sponsored lie! Let me tell you something about the drug trade. Robbing, stealing, murdering, raping; those are all crimes. But drug dealing is not really a crime, it is a business! Sure, the rule makers call it a crime, but it violates none of the Judeo-Christian rules. Heck, you can buy cyanide -- but would you swallow it? Why isn't cyanide an illegal substance? Here is my first revelation to you: You can discourage crimes through the criminal justice system, but you can only destroy a business by making that business unprofitable. There are no self-starters in drug abuse. Contemplate that fact for a moment. Reread what I just wrote. How many of you have awakened one morning and decided this is the day you will try illegal drugs? Not you! Why would you assume anyone else would? The fact is that illegal drugs are sold, often using free samples given at parties where alcohol dims judgment and where "word of mouth" advertising, the pressure of peers, gives credibility to initial experimentation. You see, it's not only a business, it is a sales business. And why do these "friends" offer you these free samples? Obviously, it is to gain new, paying "clients". In support of this seemingly insignificant sales delivery system, there is a vast array of growers, processors, cartels, smugglers, mid-level and street-level dealers who all take a "cut", making the street cost of these drugs rather significant. The result is a multi-billion dollar industry whose very survival depends on these drugs remaining illegal. Let's consider this scenario. The United States government passes legislation to go into competition with the drug cartels. They arrange for direct business with material suppliers in Colombia, Iran, Mexico -- you name it. Whatever drugs are being currently sold, the U.S. Government will supply them. However, these drugs will be sold only through licensed pharmacies, and with a regulated markup only 15% over actual cost. There will be no taxes applied. Further, no advertising of any kind regarding these drugs is allowed. Anyone wishing to purchase these very pure and inexpensive drugs would have to ask for them. At the time of purchase, the buyer would be supplied with a written warning regarding the use of the specific substance purchased. In addition, the buyer would be required to sign a waiver which affirms that if s/he becomes ill, indigent or disabled as a result of the use or abuse of the substance in question, they would be ineligible for any form of social medical treatment or welfare benefits. These forms and sales records would be forwarded by the pharmacy to the newly reorganized DEA, whose sole purpose would be reduced to that of regulation enforcement of the pharmacies and record keeping. The illegal drug trade would simply implode overnight. There is no way the illegal smuggling operations could compete with pure drugs being sold over the counter at only 15% over cost. Further, there would be no street level dealers trying to sell their drugs to your children, for the simple fact that there would be no profit motive to do so. Remember: the way to destroy a business is to destroy its profitability. Where the "word-of-mouth" advertising is absent, there are no drug sales to new, prospective users. Of course, sales to minors would be strictly prohibited, and anyone convicted of doing so would be subject to a prison term of 25 years to life. Currently, almost 70% of our imprisoned population is there on drug-related convictions. By attrition, our prisons would be emptied to accommodate the truly violent criminals in our society. In addition to the vast savings to our socialized health care and welfare systems, the need for more prison construction would become unnecessary, and so would the many jobs of prosecutors, judges, police officers, bailiffs, court reporters -- well, you get the picture. There is a vast legal-industrial complex in this country that is also dependent upon sustaining the WOD for it's very survival, a survival supplied only through your tax dollars. Look, I'm not the smartest kid on the block; far from it. I am not so foolish, prideful or egotistical to think I'm the only person who ever thought of this. Your government wants to keep the status quo because they are getting something from it. The scenario I've just published would also drastically reduce violent and nonviolent crime committed by those who need to sell your bloody $10,000.00 Rolex watch for $250.00 in order to finance their next fix. It would substantially reduce the cost of your car, homeowners, disability and medical insurance. It would leave the government without excuse to shred any more of your civil rights, and with steadfast encouragement, to reinstate those rights taken under the guise of the WOD. Most of the gun crimes are committed by those in the drug trade, including the street gangs who depend on illegal drug sales for their survival as well. And we all know that when gun crimes are committed, our government uses that as the excuse to pass more and more gun control legislation, legislation that only effects the law-abiding gun owners like us. I won't spend any more time on this. You get the picture now and I know you can think for yourself. There are literally thousands of direct and indirect benefits to be derived from the controlled legalization of currently illegal drugs, and, as I've already pointed out, I'm not the only person who ever thought this out. There was a time I was vehemently against even the mere suggestion of what I've just proposed, and only because I had a closed mind. Experience has taught me to question every former assumption, and you should too: There is nothing in this world that will cost you more than a closed mind. Source: Sierra Times.com (NV) Author: Carl F. Worden Published: March 6, 2003 Copyright: 2003 SierraTimes.com Contact: opeds@sierratimes.com Website: http://www.sierratimes.com/