AUDREY'S MISSILES A weekly newsletter dedicated to the peaceful reform of the United States government. AND NERO FIDDLED....... Libertarians and others who look upon legalization as a single magic cure for all our drug problems might be interested in this small excerpt from an article in DRUG NEWS DIGEST: "The following facts from well-researched and reputable sources (The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, www.emcdda.org) illustrate the unpalatable consequences of the liberal drug policy in The Netherlands. The Netherlands sports the highest rate of cocaine use in the European Union. Drug-related deaths continued to climb steadily from 1991-1997. The prevalence of HIV infection in injecting drug users was among the top 5 out of 15 nations. However, this information by itself should not condemn the legalization theory. Other factors must be considered. The Netherlands, a very small country, is surrounded by other European nations who do not share the tolerant Dutch philosophy regarding hard drugs. Legalization could have been a potent weapon had it been used in time to stop the criminals from making such huge profits. Now, the problem is much more complicated and far more menacing. With organized crime entrenched in almost EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, with the budget of the illegal drug trade estimated to be the fourth largest in the world...and with the numbers of addicts growing daily...a more open discussion of the problem is urgently needed. Yet Washington is silent on the issue. Why? Take the single example of a small town in New Mexico : Chimayo is a place, authorities say, afflicted with a modern-day curse: At least one in every four people in the community of 4,000 is a black tar heroin addict. Since 1995, more than 90 people have died of drug overdoses. Informed Americans know that Chimayo is not an isolated example. A report in the Oklahoman states that a meth test backlog has forced some judges to dismiss cases for lack of evidence. The problem is a deluge of methamphetamine cases, particularly in northeast Oklahoma, putting an overwhelming burden on the testing laboratories there. Police in Baltimore say that drug use has decimated that community and that crack cocaine is addictive after just one use. (This may not true because reaction to drugs varies with individuals. The fact that crack is highly addictive, however, is not disputed.) Other areas, especially those in states close to our Mexican and our Canadian borders have costly and rapidly growing drug addiction and crime rates. Where will the spreading problem stop? No one seems to know, but while the Drug Enforcement Administration is considering removing its agents from Tijuana because of the city's string of drug-related murders, Washington fiddles while our smouldering drug problem threatens to burst into flames. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n516.a08.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n514.a06.html (Taken from the Dallas Morning News : (Tue Mon, 17 Apr 2000) and reproduced in Drug News Digest. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n512.a01.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n521.a11.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n523.a03.html READ THIS NEWSLETTER AND THEN GIVE IT TO A FRIEND. No copyright on the content of AUDREY'S MISSILES is claimed since it is our hope that the information in this newsletter will be copied and distributed widely. Topics covered are those which are not adequately treated on TV or in the press. If you live in the 209 calling area end a request to 209 847-7588 for a free fax subscription. E-mail is free anywhere. Paid subscriptions are not accepted. Comments may be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4/00 Legalization ========================================================================== [EMAIL PROTECTED] is an moderated maillist about government reform. To join or leave send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] TO: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: -------------------------------------- (un)subscribe audreys-missiles Visit http://www.uwsa.com Support UWSA.COM at http://www.uwsa.com/UWSACOMintro.html
