LEGAL DRUGS TAX A CASH COW

New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's ideas about legalizing drugs are really
worth consideration, even though the drug czar, Gen. Barry McCaffrey,
made a special trip out to New Mexico to ridicule Johnson's ideas as
stupid and preposterous.

The Oct. 10 Chronicle article quoted McCaffrey as excoriating Johnson
for "undermining the drug war." I can understand the drug czar's
attitude: Without the problem, he wouldn't have a job.

He'd be for spending more money in drug interdiction such as
increasing 8,000 Border Patrol types to 20,000. (Whatever happened to
"less" government?)

I wonder how much money the drug lobby spends to encourage politicians
to subvert drug legalization? Is it cynical of me to believe
politicians have a vested, financial interest in keeping the game alive?

Looking at the Netherlands and Switzerland, two countries that have
legalized drugs and contained the problem to a placid, passive group
doomed to stay under the influence of drugs forever.

>From a political aspect, we should test this by allowing one or two
years of legalized drugs. If it doesn't work, we can always go back to
our old spending ways. I predict the game would dry up and
interdiction expenses would wither on the vine.

David C. Callaway,
Houston