NOT SO FREE

Re: "Missing Issue -- Our failed war on drugs gets little attention this
campaign season," Viewpoints, Aug. 24.

Although I was already aware of the situation in our country because
of the "war on drugs" (actually "war on citizens"), I still am
appalled to see the truth in black and white. Last year 450,000 died
from smoking cigarettes and 5,000 from cocaine and heroin? There are
450,000 citizens jailed for nonviolent drug offences today? We have 5
percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's
prisoners. A woman has the legal right to do what she wants with her
own body including having her unborn child killed, but is jailed for
ingesting certain chemicals? Land of the Free and Home of the Brave? I
don't think so!

GARY PAUL, Plano