STRIKING A BLOW AGAINST CULTURE OF INCARCERATION

Re: U.S. versus them, July 29. Serious kudos to Susan Taylor Martin and the
Times for finally pointing out what has been known to many for years: the
brutal U.S. drug war is a horrible social failure and serves only to
alienate us from our allies. Thank you for striking a blow against the
culture of incarceration.

It is ironic that in America, the land of open debate, there can be no
discussion of drug policy change. It's time to stop the rhetoric and give
common sense a try. Marijuana possession should be decriminalized. Every
sensible nation on earth thinks so.

Chris Howard, St. Petersburg

Invest In A Worthier Cause

Interesting how our government spends $6- to $10-billion annually (and
rising) to fight the war on drugs while the Social Security system is on
the verge of collapse.

Is it time to give up on that war and pump those big bucks into the Social
Security system, which would benefit people most worthy of the investment?

Tom S. Brown, Largo

An Informative, Intelligent Approach

The series on drugs and America's failed policies is a brave and necessary
step. I am glad to see someone approach this in an informative and
intelligent manner.

I have seen the foolishness of these laws for some time and have read
everything I could about the Netherlands experiment, plus their statistics
on drug use.

The use of pot is not nearly as destructive as hard drugs or alcohol, yet
government and moral groups scream about it tearing apart our social
structure. The police have a lot more to be concerned about than this subject.

Prohibition failed and the continued drug war effort will fail. When people
realize what the cost is monetarily and socially, only then can we progress
beyond this lost endeavor.

The American government is acting like the only kid with the basketball.
You do what I say or I'll take my ball home. Is that the way to win friends
and influence people? The War on Drugs costs us billions, but with a change
in laws we could be generating taxes, educating children and giving people
a less harmful alternative.

David Kris, Oldsmar

Drug War Is Destroying Our Freedom

After reading your long article stating the pros and cons of legalizing
certain drugs, I think you missed the biggest point of all. We are creating
a police state with the push by law enforcement for more and better tools,
the loose interpretation of the Bill of Rights by our Supreme Court and the
acquiescence of a public more concerned with sports scores than the
Constitution.

Of course the police want better tools. They have better tools in other
places in the world: Face scanners, rubber hoses, secret police. Need I
remind you of the methods used in other places? Of course these methods
make policing easier, but it's not America. The drug war is destroying the
America that we grew old in. That's what you missed. America needs
protection from the police, who would use these "better" methods if permitted.

An illegal lane change or the failure to use a turn signal and all the
other pretexts that the police use to stop and search for drugs -- while
these illegal activities supposedly are used to encourage safer highways,
the real reason is to allow police to stop anyone at any time. This is
clearly unreasonable search. The seizure of any property associated with
this stop is clearly an unreasonable seizure. Our Supreme Court has
permitted this un-American activity because of the War on Drugs.

What do we get when we surrender our rights, spend all this money and
effort? Prisons bursting with cons crippled by this war, crippled in the
economic rat race they must someday rejoin and never able to compete in on
a level playing field again.

The Drug War is destroying our freedoms and that is the worst of many ill
consequences. Look at Prohibition: a failure. Can our legislators learn
anything the easy way?

I have never used an illegal drug, but I may need to use my Bill of Rights.
Maybe you will, too.

Betty L. Grass, Spring Hill

High Praise To The Times

High praise to the St. Petersburg Times and Susan Taylor Martin for her
excellent series of articles on the drug war. Of course, this is only one
of many pieces of world-class journalism Ms. Martin has produced for the Times.

We're all very proud of the Times team!

Charlie Morris, Treasure Island

Treat All Vices The Same

Do you think that in, say, 2020, we'll be living in a society free of all
the "bad" drugs? I submit that any individual asserting this belief ought
to be drug tested on the spot!

Our government, at all levels, has a responsibility to protect the nation's
citizens from crime whenever possible. The laws are in place. Criminals,
regardless of their motive, ought to be punished. However, I do not support
the enaction or perpetuation of laws that might result in a police officer
yanking me from my front porch for the offense of enjoying a cocktail! An
individual using any substance while engaging in the quiet enjoyment of his
or her residence is of no concern to me.

Of course, the minute some loser steals my car stereo to buy beer and
tobacco, he should be subject to arrest. It seems so simple. Either we
outlaw all the vices or treat them all the same.

Or, we could continue to pour our hard-earned dollars into some dreamy
scheme to rid the world of only the "bad" drugs.

Yeah, right. We need to stop pandering to the moralists, curtail our
Draconian drug laws and get some value out of our investment. I demand to
see results. Stop throwing my money away!

The War on Drugs is over. We lost. Get over it.

DB Williams, St. Petersburg