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Chris Wright      Response 5

Question 5: Please describe the one issue that is the single most important reason you chose to run for office?

Public safety is the reason I've been attempting to
repeal narcotics prohibition and the reason I ran for
governor.

Prohibitionists do not understand the law of supply and
demand. Prohibition reduces supply and fails to reduce
demand for drugs. This is what lures the poor into the
odious trade of selling narcotics because they can charge
a high price for these substances.

If prohibition works so well it should work great for
alcohol. Why not add alcohol to the list of controlled
substances? Would it bring about public safety to force
speakeasies into the crack houses? I think most would say
no.

The Alphonse Capone's of this world don't eliminate the
competition by force of lower prices; they conduct
business from the barrel of a gun.

Prohibition has caused the following: Corruption of
public officials; the undermining of foreign governments;
caused gang warfare on the streets of our cities; has led
to the destruction of civil liberties; overcrowding in
our prisons; overburdening of our courts; has caused drug
mothers to avoid prenatal care; has spread needle-born
AIDS and hepatitis; more deaths than the drugs
themselves; forced employers, bankers and military to
become police; and the deaths of innocent bystanders.

Nothing destroys public health, safety, welfare and
freedom more than prohibition.

By turning our drug problem into a criminal rather than a
public health problem we have increased harm to society.
It is the duty of government to protect public safety not
destroy it.

Government traditionally takes away freedom by creating
fear in the public mind of an evil menace that they must
protect society from. If there are witches that cast evil
spells then we must burn them. Prohibition is a
witch-hunt.