From: jamesd@netcom.com (James A. Donald)
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 94 09:58:05 PST
To: SADLER_C@HOSP.STANFORD.EDU (Connie Sadler)
Subject: Re: Admiral Inman
In-Reply-To: <01HJRVB367FO001OVV@MR.STANFORD.EDU>
Message-ID: <199411221757.JAA09031@netcom8.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Connie Sadler writes
> What about the extremely
> high rate of crime motivated by the need for drugs? 
> I have personally been a victim twice (theft of my 
> car and *nice stereo system* and a breakin to my
> house where much was taken)

These crimes were not caused by drugs, but by the war on
drugs.

Now even if heroin was legal, a junkie would be more inclined
to lie and steal than a sober person, just as a drunk is more
inclined to get into fights than a sober person, but heroin is not
in itself a major cause of theft, just as alcohol is not
in itself a major cause of violence.  Certainly the violence
caused by alcohol is vastly less than the violence caused
by prohibition.


The intrinsic cost of heroin is considerably less than the
the intrinsic cost of alcohol.   If we abolished the FDA,
a junkie could stay stoned for less than it costs a
drunk to stay drunk.

He would still be a no good human being, but he would be a
quite and unobtrusive no good human being.  Junkies are
quieter than drunks and less likely to assault you.


-- 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
We have the right to defend ourselves and our
property, because of the kind of animals that we        James A. Donald
are.  True law derives from this right, not from
the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state.            jamesd@acm.org