STOP THE WAR ON DRUGS

I read with great interest Jeffrey A. Singer's article "Laws are at root of
drug violence," published in Investors' Business Daily's Viewpoint column,
Aug. 18. It confirmed a conclusion I have held for many years, one that
should be obvious to any reasonably intelligent person: that the drug
problem is caused by the so-called war on drugs. Singer said it much more
eloquently perhaps than I could have. And his opinion as a noted physician,
certainly carries more weight than mine does.

Prohibition made smuggling and moonshining profitable. It spawned murderous
gangs and corrupted politicians and government officials.

Fortunately, the public and political leaders in those days had more
intelligence and common sense than they do today. They ended Prohibition.

The new Prohibition - the war on drugs - is creating exactly the same
effects as Prohibition. It makes it profitable for drug pushers to go into
schools and hook kids on drugs. It creates big money for kids who deal in
drugs. It creates huge income for gangs in foreign countries. It corrupts
politicians and bureaucrats. It finances terrorism. It distracts the police
from fighting real crime. It turns ordinary citizens into hardened
criminals and murderers.

If the drug laws were eliminated and the war on drugs ended, most of its
effects would disappear overnight.

The money now wasted on the futile drug war could be spent on effective
education and rehabilitation programs such as Narconon. Instead of
increasing, drug usage would take a sharp dive.

John G. Marson, Tampa