KILL THE ROOT

I'm writing in response to Mark O'Brien's outstanding column, "Just
say no to the expensive and ineffectual war on drugs" (Nov. 22). I'd
like to add that the only way to effectively deal with the drug
cartels and drug dealers is to put them out of business.

The only way this can be accomplished is to regulate, control and tax
the products that they deal in. And this can only be accomplished
with legalization. Only legal products of any kind can be regulated,
controlled and taxed by any government.

Of course, the drug war cheerleaders will claim that legalizing our
now illegal drugs will be giving into the drug dealers and drug lords.

When we re-legalized alcohol in 1933, did we give into the alcohol
cartels? No. We put them out of business.

Arresting and jailing a drug dealer, or even the head of a drug
cartel, has the effect similar to cutting off the top of a weed; it
will grow back stronger than ever.

The only way to get rid of any weed is to kill the root, and the root
of our drug problem is prohibition.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.