You left many things out of your editorial on Mr. Burke and the drug
war. Most importantly, you neglect to mention the fact that the
financially and politically influential alcohol lobby has successfully
opposed the inclusion of alcohol in the government's anti-drug ad
campaign, and in doing so has perpetuated the ignorance that kills our
children.

I would add that the anti-drug ad campaign begins to look extremely
wrongheaded when one realizes that this expensive ad campaign ignores
alcohol (which kills more people than all illegal substances
combined), while concentrating on cannabis. Cannabis has no lethal
dose and its pharmacological effects have not caused a single death in
over 5,000 years.

Maybe the politicians are required to adhere to the party line of
prohibition because they can't live without the invisible profits the
drug war affords them. But unfortunately, the drug war also promotes,
justifies and perpetuates racist enforcement policies and is
diminishing many freedoms and liberties that are supposed to be
inalienable according to the founding documents of our nation.

Myron Von Hollingsworth,
Fort Worth, Texas