DRUG POLICIES FOSTER VIOLENCE AT HOME AND ABROAD

Mary O'Grady's column, "The U.S. Role in a Mexico Assassination"
(Americas, May 12), illustrates the futility of the drug war by
pointing out that the same week high-level Mexican police were
murdered in the streets, 75 college students at San Diego State
University were arrested for selling drugs. While I agree that drug
prohibition is causing a higher level of death and destruction in
Mexico, the U.S. also suffers terrible pain and loss due to the drug
war.

Thanks to our draconian drug laws, the U.S. dwarfs the rest of the
world when it comes to locking up its citizens. The U.S. has less than
5% of the world's population, but a quarter of the world's prisoners.
Our state governments are in budget crises thanks to the $40,000 per
year we spend to lock up one individual who is struggling with an
addiction. Thanks to prohibition, we also have high levels of violence
in our communities.

Drug prohibition is destroying lives and wreaking havoc in both
countries. It is time to find an exit strategy from this other
unwinnable war.

Tony Newman

Drug Policy Alliance

New York