END BLACK MARKET BY LEGALIZING DRUGS

Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am writing this letter in response to the August
1 article, "Heroin, Ecstasy Drug Use on Rise." I would point out important
facts very few people realize. I want to describe two examples of how much
easier the drug problem would be with legalization.

The first is the purity of heroin. The article states, "Heroin is now also
more lethal." The purity of heroin has nothing to do with how lethal it is.
What makes it lethal is a teen-ager who is getting 70 percent pure heroin
thinking it is 35 percent and taking twice as much as he intended. If
heroin could be bought at a pharmacy as a prescription, users would know
exactly how much they are ingesting. No one wants to overdose. This also
would ensure that there are no other harmful chemicals, either.

Second, part of our drug war is attributed to "protecting our children." I
fail to see how we are protecting our children by letting them buy
adulterated drugs that could be lethal, never mind that we let them buy
drugs at all. Most kids get their drugs from peers and drug dealers who are
in the business to make a profit. These drug dealers themselves are most
likely under 21 and pushing to sell their drugs. No one can deny the fact
that legalizing drugs would eliminate the black market, and by doing so, we
could set an age limit on purchases.

Alan Reiner.
Arlington.