KISS $380 GOODBYE

As 2002 comes to a close, take $380 out of your wallet and kiss it goodbye
- - that's how much you'll pay for the Drug War next year. That's right. Next
year, 131 million American taxpayers will fund a Drug War that will cost
nearly $50 billion. That averages $380 for each individual taxpayer. That's
money wasted on silly interdiction programs doomed to fail; federal police
agencies that presumably should have more important priorities; prison
cells for non-violent drug offenders; DARE programs that don't prevent drug
abuse; research agendas corrupted by political interference; and treatment
programs that too often are quick to punish and slow to really help those
in need.

Ron duBois, Stillwater