LEGALIZE DRUGS

Luther Burbank said, "It is well for people who think to change their
minds occasionally in order to keep them clean. For those who do not
think, it is best at least to rearrange their prejudices once in a
while."

The following is my condensation of a comprehensive interview on drugs
between William F. Buckley Jr., founder of the National Review, and
Michael S. Gazzaniga, professor of neuroscience at Dartmouth Medical
School:

1. 100 million Americans have experimented with illegal
drugs.

2.The vast majority of the criminal network will crumble with
legalization.

3.The legalization of drugs will result in a significant decrease in
crime.

4.Addiction rates are based on the chemistry of the person taking
them, are relatively low and stable, and are little affected by
governmental prohibitions.

Further, approximately 400,000 Americans are in prison and 2 million
on probation for victimless drug offenses. Every year, $50 billion is
wasted and another $150 billion is lost in taxes due to our irrational
and dysfunctional drug laws.

The following prominent Republicans favor legalization or
decriminalization of drug use:

William F. Buckley Jr.; George Schultz, former secretary of state and
advisor to G.W. Bush; Milton Freedman, economist; and Gary Johnson,
governor of New Mexico.

Why don't we try to become a little more rational and humane in our
drug laws? In other words, "Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you."

JAMES E. HOLDEN
Twin Falls