U.S. ADDICTED TO WAR ON DRUGS

To the editor:

America's drug war has often been referred to as an abject failure
(Letters, Nov. 9). Take it from an American who has seen so much
waste and tragedy associated with prohibition that I can say without a
doubt that the terminology "abject failure" is an understatement and
does not truly and accurately describe the devastation, misery and
corruption associated with it.

Americans spend billions and billions of tax dollars a year - year
after year - to keep drugs off of the streets, and the truth is we
can't even keep drugs out of the prisons. After years of observation
of our colossal and expensive failure called the drug war, I am
convinced it is fear-mongering by politicians, prompting people into
relinquishing more and more of their personal liberties and freedoms
(random drug testing and asset forfeiture, to name but two).

I am also convinced there are much more sinister forces at work with
regard to drug prohibition and the "war" it has created. Take it from
one who lives in the United States, our war on drugs is costing more
in lives, liberty and dollars than the substances it seeks to protect
us from.

Prohibition can never succeed. In more than 100 years, prohibition has
never even come close to succeeding. American law-enforcement
institutions and even its economies are addicted - financially - to
the war on drugs. Wake up, world - this is a fiscal addiction.

Myron Von Hollingsworth