LETTER OF THE WEEK

AN INSANE WAR

By Chris Wiley

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

Pubdate - Thu, 10 Apr 2008

Source - Star-Banner, The (Ocala, FL)

Referenced - http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n391/a01.html