TAKE PROFIT OUT OF SELLING DRUGS

The first time I sent the following letter was in 1979. It wasn't printed
then. The second time was 1988. It wasn't printed then. I was 63 at the time
of the first letter. I am now 83.

As long as I can remember, we have had a drug problem, and in all those
years the drug-enforcing people never admitted to stopping more than 5
percent or 10 percent of the drugs that were used in this country.

It is time, after all these years of failure, to try a new approach to
solving the problem. The first thing we have to do is to take the profit out
of selling drugs and thus put the pushers out of business. This can be done
without bloodshed or violence.

All we have to do is let the government take over the drug business. To
completely do away with any profit, the drugs should be given away.

This would be far less expensive for the government than this war on drugs .
The drug addicts would have to turn themselves in to the government to get
drugs. They could then be treated for their addictions. Since they wouldn't
have to steal or go into prostitution to afford drugs, we would have a lot
less trouble with crime.

We should still have strong jail sentences for selling drugs or giving them
away, especially for anyone in the government program.

As long as the money to be made is so tempting and the customers are there,
we will have a drug problem.

JOE HAMM

North Portland