MAKE CANNABIS, NOT WAR

I'm writing about Ervin Dargan's thoughtful letter, "Let States Decide
on Medical Cannabis" [Xpress, July 16]. Marijuana is the linchpin of
our so-called war on drugs. Remove marijuana from the equation and the
whole drug war will collapse.

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 war
on drugs: those who make their livelihood from it--including
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); and suckers.

Suckers include taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda
of the drug-war industry and bureaucracy; people who are willing to
deny liberty and freedom to others but think that their own liberty
and freedom will never be in jeopardy; people who believe that
criminalizing a substance will make it go away; people who think that
drug prohibition somehow protects children; people who think that
giving criminals control of dangerous drugs somehow protects children
and our society.

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

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.