DRUG FRONT WAR ON DRUGS HITS A WALL IN FOUR MORE STATES.

Though it is hardly a groundswell, a growing number of Americans have come
to doubt that the war on drugs is the solution to all of the nation's
illegal drug problems.

In last week's elections, voters in Colorado and Nevada ig-nored most of
their politicians and legalized marijuana for medical use, joining six
other states.

Fed up with police abuses of innocent people, Oregon and Utah voters
severely restricted police seizures of the assets of those accused of drug
crimes.

California previously had defied the federal government and legalized
medical marijuana.

Last week more than 60 percent of its voters approved Proposition 36, which
requires that first- and second-offense drug abusers be given drug
treatment instead of prison time.

The California law is similar to one passed in Arizona four years ago.

California sends 36,000 people to prison each year for using illegal drugs.

Now it will have to treat them in hopes that such intervention will get
them off drugs and keep them out of prison later on.

The bottom line is helping people and saving money at the same time.

California's legislative budget office estimates that within a few years
the state could save $250 million a year by treating drug abusers instead
of incarcerating them.

California has decided compassionate treatment for drug abusers is an
appropriate, less expensive alternative to pris-on. And it plainly hopes to
prove a more successful one as well.