THE PHONY WAR ON DRUGS

I'm writing about Ralph Givens' thoughtful letter ("End drug
prohibition," April 8):

The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy.
Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory
in the drug war would mean that the drug war industry and bureaucracy
are out of business.

There are basically two types of people who support the so-called waron drugs:

Those who make their livelihood from it. This includes politicians
and bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the drug cartels.
(Al Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on
his payroll.)

Suckers - taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of
the drug-war industry and bureaucracy.

Suckers - who are willing to sacrifice their own liberty and freedom
because they don't like what others do to themselves.

Suckers - who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go
away. Suckers - who think that drug prohibition somehow protects children.

Suckers - who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs
somehow protects children and our society.

Suckers - who think that they live in a free country even thought the
United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human
civilization.

Kirk Muse,

Mesa, Ariz.