LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND END WAR ON DRUGS

To the Editor:

I was happy to see The Tennessean's support of legalized marijuana
for medicinal purposes. Perhaps this will be the start of the end of
the money pit referred to as the "war on drugs."

This massive failure absorbs billions of our dollars and accomplishes
nothing except to line the pockets of the producers and distributors
of illegal drugs. The war on drugs has caused contempt for the
sanctity of our borders. It supports corrupt governments around the
world and it is generally responsible for high crime rates, murders
and turf wars among those in the business and their unfortunate "customers."

The war on drugs will never succeed as long as there are major
profits to be made by the bad guys. Control drugs, tax drugs and use
the funds generated to rehabilitate those who find it impossible to
stop on their own. Can't we learn from the failed efforts to
eliminate alcohol some 75 years ago?

Robert Bird, Cookeville 38501