AN INSANE WAR

In response to Jerry Cameron's opinion article "By ceding on low-level
offenders, we gain ground in drug war" (March 30) and regarding the
war on drugs, it is encouraging to see that some in law enforcement,
having fought in this war, realize its futility.

Since this "war" officially began in 1970, what has been achieved?
Nothing positive; 1.6 million citizens are arrested per year on drug
charges. Their lives are basically ruined. A record ensures trouble
when applying for jobs. Lifetime incomes are adversely affected,
reputations are ruined, and families are humiliated and
stigmatized.

Currently, $7.7 billion tax dollars are spent annually to fight this
unending war. It is estimated that if marijuana were legalized, tax
revenue would be $6.2 billion per year. So, if we quit spending the
$7.7 billion and collected the $6.2 billion, we would be $13.9 billion
ahead!

Even more importantly, law enforcement could be redirected to fighting
real crime. If you take the crime out of drugs, what do you have left?
You have the government in charge of the drugs, not the usage of
drugs. You have resources freed up to initiate new programs. You have
room in prisons for those who really should be there.

Legalization does not condone the use of drugs anymore than the
legalization of alcohol condones its use. People choose on an
individual basis what they will or will not do based on their
integrity and education.

Our hypocritical politicians need to get real about this issue. Drugs
are not going away. Availability has not been altered. History has
proven that prohibition does not work. When someone does something
over and over again that does not work, or is harmful to him, he is
determined to be insane.

The same applies to the war on drugs.

Chris Wiley

Ocala