DRUG WAR CASUALTIES

Gail Phares' timely May 8 Point of View article "The drug war
crashes" pointed out some of the inherent dangers in our nation's
severely flawed drug policy. The downed missionary plane in Peru is
just the most recent example of civilians becoming casualties in this
futile war.

Our government is spending millions of dollars putting nonviolent
drug offenders in jail and spraying legal crops with environmentally
devastating herbicide. Our marijuana policies are based on 1930s-era
legislation that was made with little or no scientific evidence, and
drug-prevention campaigns depend on exaggeration and misinformation.
Utter disregard for current drug laws is frighteningly reminiscent of
Prohibition.

Yes, drug abuse must stop, but is this really the best way to do it?

J.D. BEST
Raleigh