AN OBVIOUS SOLUTION TO DRUG TRAFFICKING

On Jan. 27, Holman Jenkins wrote in his Business World column that
"Washington Looks for Money Launderers Where They Aren't." In a Feb. 8
letter to the Editor, William F. Marshall, a former Drug Enforcement
Administration officer, took Mr. Jenkins to task for his failure to
understand the government's need of asset seizure laws and "know your
customer" regulations to combat drug trafficking.

Mr. Marshall's concern was mostly about the enormous amounts of money
involved. He ended his recital with this bit of whimsy: "If Mr. Jenkins has
a better solution to addressing the drug trafficking behemoth, many
policymakers in Washington would love to hear it."

As one who can remember a time when we had no drug laws and no drug
problems, I say a better solution is obvious:
1) Re-establish self-government in America, Allow the citizen to determine
for himself how he will treat his own body;
2) Abolish the government-created black market; allow a free market in drugs;
3) Treat drug addiction for what it is, a medical problem and not as a
criminal matter;
4) Stop skimming the drug trade by confiscations for the benefit of the
police.

Douglas N. Merritt
Atchison, Kan.