In yet another colossal failure of the so-called "war on drugs," a
Baltimore police officer has been accused of distributing the drug
ecstasy ("City officer charged in drug case," Dec. 7).

Aside from the fact that the government is again trying to convince
the public that a danger exists from a relatively benign substance,
this instance illustrates perfectly the corrupting influence of
prohibition and the money it generates.

The same sort of thing happened in the 1920s when alcohol was
illegal. As long as this idiotic policy of prohibiting drugs is in
place, it will happen again and again.

William Smith,
Baltimore