IT'S TIME TO RE-THINK THE FAILED 'WAR ON DRUGS'

Hats off to Nolan Finley for highlighting America's failed and
colossally expensive "war" on illicit drug use ("Subject drug war to
the Iraq war test," Nov. 19.) For nearly 100 years, starting with the
passage of America's first federal anti-drug law in 1914, lawmakers
have relied on the mantra: "Do drugs, do time." The human and fiscal
consequences of this policy have been a disaster.

America now spends nearly $50 billion dollars per year targeting,
prosecuting and incarcerating illicit drug users. As a result, today
there are more illicit drug offenders behind bars -- more than 450,000
by last count than the entire U.S. prison population in 1980. For
marijuana alone, law enforcement spends between $7 billion and $10
billion dollars annually targeting users -- primarily low-level
offenders, and taxpayers spend more than $1 billion annually to
incarcerate them. Yet, illicit drugs remain cheaper and more plentiful
than ever. If American lawmakers want to take a serious look at our
nation's war strategies, let them begin by reassessing their failed
drug war here at home.

Paul Armentano

Senior Policy Analyst

NORML Foundation

Washington, D.C.