To the Secretary of the CORA

Marco Taradash

c/o Radical Party

Rome

Turin, 3 July 1992

Dear Marco,

An hour ago I read the CORA's press release on the statements of Hon. Violante, in Agorà. The initial astonishment of reading, black on white, that the press office of the single Italian antiprohibitionist political formation welcomes an initiative which belongs to it "historically" and then endorsed officially by others (legitimate, had we not had antiprohibitionist deputies and senators to this moment...) immediately vanished.

The text of the press release is clear, and renews the political position regarding the question of the legalization of so-called soft drugs in relation to the legalization of so-called hard drugs. Which is to say (you will excuse my brutal synthesis): we won't soil our hands to pass to the proposal of legalizing soft drugs. Someone else can do it, because we are for the legalization of all drugs.

If this is the CORA's exact position, then you shouldn't have signed the referendum request to abolish law 162: doesn't the abrogative referendum foreshadow a new legislative system whose only novelty is the resumption of law 685? What is there of antiprohibitionist in that referendum, for which thousands of comrades collected signatures? Haven't we always maintained the need to attack from several fronts, politically and scientifically, law 162, which currently represents the essence of prohibition on drugs in Italy? Don't you think there are several ways leading to antiprohibitionism? Or do you prefer to isolate yourself in positions which might well be splendid politically (solid-rock antiprohibitionism for everything) but unfeasible practically? If anything, because antiprohibitionism will be such only if it will be European, at least.

I will close these few lines consisting of questions only with a last remark: watch out for rhetoric statements. If the CORA agrees with Violante's proposal (as it says in the first part of the press release), it is hard to understand it has taken no steps, to date, to translate this proposal into a bill.

It seem to me that you are good at talking but rather less at acting.

I will complete these few lines with a further, more detailed intervention. I hope to receive an explanation on the meaning of the press release I just read.

ENZO CUCCO

antiprohibitionist

regional councillor