Prohibition doesn't work and never has. The drug war is an utter
failure. After more than 30 years and more than a trillion dollars,
the problem is worse - worse even than in the days when opiates were
available over the counter, cocaine was in popular drinks and
marijuana was growing free.

I am not advocating the use of these substances. But I am a father and
grandfather of children soon to tread the treacherous teen years, and
I would much rather see a state-regulated legal market than the
current corrupting unregulated black market. And personally, I find
pathetic the shameless use of personal tragedies to promote an
unconstitutional drug war. Police agencies and their suppliers have a
vested monetary interest in keeping their police-state-like powers -
including unconstitutional seizure and theft of the property of
citizens - in place.

The hypocrisy of our leaders, the lies that are told to our children,
an overburdened justice system and the turning of millions of
Americans into criminals for the possession of natural plants that
come from are God are causing more problems than if these same
substances were state-regulated and taxed.

Alcohol, heroin and cocaine all show approximately the same ratio of
addicts or abusers to users -10 percent or less, hardly a proportion
requiring mass hysteria. Cigarettes produce a rate of addiction higher
than 50 percent in occasional users. Cigarettes kill 400,000 Americans
a year. Alcohol kills 150,000. All illegal drugs combined kill about
6,000. Bathroom accidents kill more people. The hysteria about drugs
is propaganda.

Drug peace, not war.

R.A. KRIS MILLEGAN,
Noti