The Jan. 4 article "US report details losses in drug fight" (page a1,
jan. 4) largely missed the most important point. The absurdly well
funded "war on drugs" is a failure in terms of efficacy and is a
civil rights abomination.

Drug czar Barry McCaffrey, featured in the article, has consistently
twisted the facts to argue for more money to support current US drug
policy, but the reality is that locking people up for drugs is not an
effective means of reducing drug abuse.

The answer is to end the war on drugs; stop placing nonviolent drug
offenders in prison - where, ironically, illegal drugs are more
available; and open a civic discussion on drugs in our culture.

Where we are now is disgraceful. The war on drugs is a leading factor
in the United States holding one-fourth of the world's prison
population - more than 2 million people.

Scholars at the nation's leading drug policy foundation, the
Lindesmith Center, are reaching the same conclusions.

A wave of public support for a change in America's approach in drug
policy recently surfaced with the passing of California's Proposition
36, which mandates treatment, not incarceration, for first- and
second-time drug offenders. The message is clear: Society needs to
offer help instead of demanding prison for drug offenders.

Adam Hurter, Shrewsbury