TIME TO CONSIDER DRUG SETTLEMENT

The recent settlement with tobacco producers and distributors offers cause
to pause and consider more positive directions for dealing efficiently with
other problem drugs. For example: I wonder how much producers and
distributors of cannabis, cocaine, crank and heroin would pay for the same
kind of deal.

The best scientific research indicates all of these drugs are less
addictive and cause far less damage to human physiology than nicotine.

It would be far cheaper and more efficient to allow them to buy their way
into the U.S. market and limit their sale to adults than continue to pay
the huge cost in money and liberty to fight and continue the losing war on
drugs.

With the money drug producers and distributors would pay us for the same
deal we gave tobacco, we could pay the $20 billion we spend yearly on the
drug war and have billions left over for treatment programs.

We might even have enough to bring our medical care for infants, children
and the elderly up to the highest standards of other civilized nations.

Michael C. Brophy, Milwaukee

Checked-by: derek rea