Prostitution may be the world's oldest profession, and laws prohibiting prostitution may well be the oldest example of government regulation and government (sex) discrimination. In a free society, however, all such laws are inappropriate because they violate the basic rights and liberties of the individuals involved. Recent research indicates that over one million women in the United States earn their living by full-time prostitution. Furthermore, roughly one in every six American men has been a willing client of a prostitute within the past five years. Even more interesting and alarming is the fact that engaging in sex with a prostitute is now the third most common way for an American male to contract the AIDS virus. Ironically perhaps, the rising threat of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases has become one of the most compelling arguments for the complete legalization of prostitution. According to current evidence, roughly half of the street prostitutes in Washington, D.C., and New York City are HIV-positive. In Newark, New Jersey, the estimate is that close to 60% of all prostitutes carry the AIDS virus. Yet, in the relatively "free market" of Nevada, where prostitution is legal, not one (as of 1989) of the state-licensed prostitutes has ever tested positive for AIDS. It is true that Nevada's licensed bordellos require monthly blood tests, but such precautions would likely occur in the absence of state regulation. The reason is economic: the bordellos compete with each other, and the suppliers have strong incentives to ensure that the "service" that their customers receive is safe. Clearly, the spread of AIDS would be reduced by the decriminalization of prostitution services. In a few quick words would it not be better to collect tax dollars from woman who never pay taxes & reduce STDs & AIDS and regulate the sex industry here in Texas?