DRUG LAWS MAKE IT WORSE

Oh my. Drug warrior James R. McDonough caused me to spit my morning
coffee (Letters, July 22).

He actually has tried to present an argument in which drug treatment
removes personal responsibility from the equation. Personal
responsibility? The drug war rationale has come down to that?

I suppose that development makes sense, seeing as it's no more
ridiculous than any other rationale provided for the expensive,
wasteful and counterproductive drug war. But personal responsibility?
Am I the only one who sees the contradiction here?

Prior to our drug laws, our society did rely on personal
responsibility. Individuals decided for themselves whether they would
use these substances or not. The usage rate was far less than what we
have today because the drug warriors have created a profit incentive
for organized crime, and organized crime has proved far more capable
of marketing its wares than law enforcement has proved in its ability
to stop it. The end result of all this is an unprecedented expansion
of organized crime, with children fronting as the retail end in every
high school and junior high school in the nation.

As a parent of a 3-year-old, I have to say that I see the drug war as
the biggest single threat to my child. Take away the drug war (yes,
actually relegalize the use of these substances) and we take away the
profit motive from organized crime.

Then the only people who will be looking at my son as a potential
employee in future years will be the local newspaper circulation
office and neighbors who need their yard mowed. Plus, legalization
will allow us to impose an enforceable age restriction on the sale of
these substances.

Mr. McDonough, please stay away from my son.