LEGALIZE DRUGS

I agree with Sylvester Salcedo's commentary in the March 30 Journal Star.
But just as our "War on Drugs" has ravaged Colombia for 30 years, it has
had untold effects in our country as well. Our prisons are bursting at the
seams with so-called criminals, ordinary citizens who use drugs.

The "War on Drugs" has cost us billions of dollars in tax revenue that
could have been used much, much more wisely.

Furthermore, there is such a lack of trust by citizens toward police
officers that witnesses of real crimes, violent crimes, are unwilling to
come forward because they fear incriminating themselves. These hostilities
between officers and civilians are increased when the officers are pressed
by their superiors, whether they are within the force or outside
politicians, to employ illegal search and seizure tactics to find these drugs.

The worst part of all is that the whole idea of drug illegality is
unconstitutional. Since when does the government have the right to tell me
what I can't do so long as I am not injuring another person?

These laws were passed without any kind of popular vote but rather by an
act of Congress in the 1920s. And when the issue of the legality of drugs,
such as with (medicinal) marijuana, does appear on some sort of ballot, its
legality is overwhelmingly supported.

In addition, by making drugs illegal the government contradicts itself.

Abortion is legal in this country because a woman has the right to do what
she wants with her body. Shouldn't we be able to legally toke on a joint --
if that is what we want to do with our bodies? Christopher M. Hussey,
Lincoln Saving the state I have a few brief notes regarding a recent letter
to the editor that mentions the use of ethanol fuel as detrimental for a
variety of reasons.

I cannot argue for or against ethanol from a mechanical or automotive
standpoint. I can, however, suggest that a carburetor or fuel system exists
that does work due to the fact that I use the fuel in my own vehicle.

Nebraskans are developing and marketing a variety of renewable natural
resources. They include biomass fuels, wind and solar power and compost.

These three nouns in the same sentence might engender visions of
granola-eating peaceniks ending the world as we know it by some subversive
manner. Remain calm. A simple fact is that the money spent on fuels
developed in Nebraska stays in Nebraska. It might even be possible to
increase the amount of biomass fuels and lubricants produced here to the
point that a significant portion of Nebraska's population, i.e., our
long-suffering farmers, could become somewhat self-sufficient.

The possibility of benefiting our rural economy on a personal level was
enough motivation for me to change the floats, tune the carb, and burn as
much corn as I can in my car. Besides, the closet hippie in me likes the
fact that it burns cleaner.

Scott Childers, Omaha