DIFFERING VIEWS ON DRUGS SURFACE

I recently suggested that the War on Drugs just wasn't working. I said, in
a place where I couldn't take it back, that the $4,000 toilet seats the
Navy occasionally buys are stupid, but the War on Drugs has that topped. I
heard from folks all over the country.

Some people replied that I was stupid. Other folks said I was horribly
ill-informed.

One person took issue with my admission that I'm a "moralistic, judgmental
prude" when it comes to people who use cocaine. This reader thought I was
being too easy on myself. He said I was guilty of demonizing people and
encouraging violence against them.

People from across the country tuned in on our online edition,
www.galvnews.com. Some of their comments appear on this page.

The folks at the Drug Policy Forum of Texas sent me a copy of "Shattered
Lives: Portraits from America's Drug War" by Mikki Norris, Chris Conrad and
Virginia Resner.

The book is based on a museum exhibit. There are pictures and stories of
ordinary people who are in prison for drug offenses.

The book is intriguing. I had a hard time working up much sympathy for most
of the people in the book. But there were exceptions.

It's hard not to feel sympathy for people who died in drug raids because
police got the wrong address.

One heartbreaking story tells the tale of a school counselor. She gave her
wayward son one more chance. He responded to her trust by hiding drug money
in the house. She's in prison for conspiracy.

But my problem with the War on Drugs is best told by the story of a really
unsympathetic character.

This fellow blamed other people for his problems. He compared his crimes to
the misdeeds of people in high office. He didn't seem to see any problem
with violating laws - especially those he didn't agree with.

Why does this fellow's case bother me? Didn't he get what he deserved? This
fellow was sentenced to 90 years in prison. He was convicted of growing a
few marijuana plants.

It costs those of us who pay taxes $23,000 a year to keep people in prison.
And while this guy might deserve 90 years in prison - assuming he lived
that long - I'm not sure that taxpayers deserve a $2.07 million bill to
keep him there.

Is it worth that to protect society from a few marijuana plants? Is that a
good investment? Is that a good plan for addressing our country's problem
with drugs?

If you think it is, I hope you'll write.