Dear Editors,

State Politicians in Oregon are now considering recriminalizing
Marijuana and building 10 new prisons. In 1995 Oregon spent 467
Million dollars on prisons. In 1997 the Republicans propose 679
Million dollars and the Democratic Governor proposes 736 Million. Thats
a 45% to 57% increase in taxes for prisons! (source: RG pge 8A, 4/7/97)

We don't need 10 more prisons, we need to end drug prohibition.
30% of the States jail population and at least 50% of all police
arrests are due to nonviolent drug offenders. Also, many violent
crimes are directly caused by drug prohibition, not drug use. You
don't see liquor store owners shooting it out in the streets nor do you
see children or illegal immigrants making a living selling alcohol
because it is regulated. Violent crime dropped by 60% and the murder
rate dropped by 50% at the end of alcohol prohibition.

Measure 49 would create an Interstate Prison Industry. That gives
corporations who fund some political campaigns a profit motive to
incarcerate more nonviolent offenders and use them as cheap prison
labor. Measure 2084 in Lane County would also fund 50 more jail beds
for a cost of nearly 1 Million tax dollars at a time when 76% of Lane
County's budget already goes to the Prison/Police Industry.

America already has the worlds largest percapita prison
population. Do you really want 10 new prisons? What is the real
future of your children under drug prohibition? I say, "Enough is
Enough!" Vote to End Drug Prohibition and stop the prison industry for
the same reasons America ended Alcohol Prohibition in 1933 and ended
Slavery in 1865! The Government should not be initiating violence.

With Peace,

Bruce House
Secretary of the Cannabis Liberation Society
Registered Libertarian