COLUMN ON METH WAS OUTSTANDING

To the editor:

Major kudos to Tony Seno for his outstanding column: "The War on Meth:
Noble Motives, Bad Policy" [Ruidoso News, Aug. 9].

I'd like to add that many judges and prison wardens have said that 70
to 80 percent of all property crime and violent crime is
"drug-related."

Actually, almost 100 percent of all so-called "drug-related crime" is
caused by drug prohibition policies - not drugs.

When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5
cents a bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. Neither
did drug lords, drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today.

Many currently employed in law enforcement are opposed to the idea of
re-legalizing all types of recreational drugs.

That's because if drugs were re-legalized, we would need far fewer law
enforcement personnel, far fewer prison guards and no prison builders.

Thus, many now employed in law enforcement and the prison industry
would be looking for a job or washing cars for a living.

Of course, those opposed to re-legalizing drugs because it would
affect their livelihood will not say so. Instead, they will cite noble
reasons such as protecting the children.

As if the current policies are protecting children from
drugs.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.