SUPPLY AND DEMAND

As an African American, I was pleased to read the editorial "Dialogue can
spur new look at drugs." Since the first time I smoked marijuana, I knew
that the current policy of drug prohibition was wrong. In fact, at 15, my
attitude was that if I am being lied to about marijuana, perhaps I am being
lied to about other drugs as well. Luckily, I was able to see cocaine and
LSD as drugs I didn't want to mess with.

Later, I was further convinced of the absolute stupidity of the drug war in
a free market economy. In Economics 101, I learned that if supply decreases
without a change in demand, prices will increase, thereby making it more
attractive to suppliers to provide to consumers. Trying to prevent the
supply of a very select group of products in an otherwise free market is
impossible.

Second, from a historical perspective, I knew that prohibition had failed
long ago, and that reasonable regulation was much more sane than the
current policy. The black market for illegal drugs creates violence. Can
anyone remember the last time beer distributors killed each other for
advantage?

Let us start a debate about a sensible way to back out of this
counterproductive drug war.

Philip N. Brown, Tempe, Ariz.