Chicago Tribune
August 7, 1997 Thursday
Pg. 31
CRACK COCAINE'S LATEST VICTIM: THE TRUTH
By NANCY HAMMERLE
tribletter@aol.com

The Boston Herald
August 11, 1997 Monday
Pg. 019
Crack ought to mean longer sentences
By NANCY HAMMERLE
letter@globe.com

Dayton Daily News
August 31, 1997, Sunday
SECTION: OP ED PAGE, Pg. 11B
HEADLINE: HARSHER PENALTIES JUSTIFIED FOR CRACKCOCAINE USERS;
THE DRUG'S EFFECT ON COMMUNITIES IS DEVASTATING
By NANCY HAMMERLE

The Houston Chronicle August 31, 1997, Sunday, 2 STAR Edition
Outlook; Pg. 1 Cult of victimology rules crack sentencing debate By
NANCY HAMMERLE

Copyright 1997 The Austin AmericanStatesman
Austin AmericanStatesman
August 31, 1997
Editorial; Pg. H3
Liberal revisionists who deny the truth are as dangerous as crack
By NANCY HAMMERLE

The Boston Herald
August 25, 1997 Monday
Pg. 020
Letters to the Editor

Gov't war on drugs creates another war

Nancy Hammerle's column, "Crack ought to mean longer sentences" (Aug.
11), was completely backwards. An inert substance can't cause anything.
Crime and violence are produced by the war policy of prohibition. Millions
of citizens have been assaulted, robbed, arrested and otherwise abused in
the holy war against evil substance abusers. The main result of all this
government violence has been to produce more violence. The violent and
criminal intervention into the free market has produced an equally violent
and crimeridden underground market just like the results of alcohol
prohibition.

"Crack" is a result of the inflated prices produced by prohibition. The
freemarket cost of producing one ounce of cocaine is about $ 20.
Government guns and violence have raised this cost to more than $ 2,000.
Contrary to popular myth, cocaine is a valuable medicine produced by the
coca bush which is known as "the divine plant of the Incas." Like alcohol
and cannabis, it's also one of the safest drugs.
Rich Eramian,
Lynn