From: Lucky Green <shamrock@netcom.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 1997 02:17:10 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Welfare Solution #389
In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.19970822025549.006f3d6c@pop.mhv.net>
Message-ID: <3.0.2.32.19970822102741.0075f710@netcom10.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 04:47 PM 8/22/97 +0200, Alex Le Heux wrote:
>I Switserland they've gone even further now, and started supplying hardcore
>herion addicts with free heroin. The results were quite dramatic. Most of the
>addicts gave up stealing/etc and some even managed to get and hold a normal
>job. As it turned out, supplying them with free heroin was much cheaper than
>having them hang around and steal/rob/etc. It also served to reduce the call
>for extra police, and the call by the police for more rights/weapons/etc.

Of course there is another solution: legalize drugs. The reason why addicts
have to steal to support their habit is that the costs of narcotics have
been artificially inflated due to prohibition. Medical cocaine wholesales
at about $0.50 per gramm. Heroin should be in the same price range. Nobody
would have to steal to come up with a few dollars a day.

As ususal, the government created the problem and then proudly comes up
with a solution involving even more government. As the case is in
Switzerland. First they make it too expensive to buy and then they discover
they have to give it away to reduce the negative consequences of a
situation they created in the first place.



--Lucky Green <shamrock@netcom.com>
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