ABSTRACT: Published by the most prestigious weekly magazine, "The Economist", the feature in March 1988 on drugs from which we are quoting, contains a ruthless analysis of the unfortunate effects of prohibition which encourage, rather than reduce, illegal drug traffic.

("Single issue" booklet for the XXXV Congress of The Radical Party - Budapest 22-26 april 1989)

The expert organisations enriched by the initiatives of the first American governments of the Prohibition of alcohol and gambling, (another practice which leads to addiction) today apply Al Capone's former criminal ability to the international narcotics market.

A small nucleus of criminals today is probably recycling untaxed sums of over 10 billion dollars a year, more than the GDP of 150 of the 170 nations in the world.

If this huge excess went to the governments in the form of taxes, as happens to a small part of that profit obtained from drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, at least it could be used for better purposes, including the reduction of drug addiction. Is this the best solution?

There have been solutions to tragedies at least as serious as the daily traffic in drugs. America's true response to the racket of Capone was not an attack on the gang, but legalisation, taxation and the normalised sale of liquor in controlled quantities. The most efficient opponent to the illegal gambling-den is the State lottery, and obviously the authorised gambling clubs.