DRUG WAR HELPS ORGANIZED CRIME

In their Oct. 12 Op-Ed column, "Don't forfeit war on drugs," Sens.
Charles Grassley and Jon Kyl defend controversial Office of National
Drug Control Policy nominee John Walters by stating, "He opposes
efforts to legalize drugs, under whatever false flag they fly. That
makes legalization advocates unhappy." Organized crime, however, no
doubt is thrilled with the prospect of Mr. Walters as drug czar.
Tough drug laws are tantamount to price supports for organized crime.
Thanks to the drug war's distortion of basic supply-and-demand
dynamics, an easily grown weed such as marijuana is literally worth
its weight in gold. If it were legal, growing marijuana would be less
profitable than growing tomatoes. I, for one, do not approve of my
tax dollars subsidizing mobsters.

Soft drugs like pot should be legal. The tax windfall would be
tremendous. Regulating the sale of marijuana would allow for
enforceable age controls and the separation of hard- and soft-drug
markets. As long as pot remains illegal, consumers will continue to
come into contact with pushers of harder drugs. Again, organized
crime is thrilled with the gateway policy currently in place. Now
that we have an all too real enemy in the form of international
terrorism, the $50 billion war on consensual vices is a luxury this
country cannot afford. Messrs. Grassley's and Kyl's willingness to
use the full weight of the criminal-justice system to prevent people
from making unhealthy choices has dangerous implications. Diet is the
No. 1 determinant of health outcomes. Fat people beware.

Robert Sharpe
Washington