Congratulations to The Chronicle editorial staff on the maturity
and courage you have shown in your endorsement of a more sane
policy on drugs and prison issues. I refer specifically to the
January 28 lead on the failure of the drug war, the February 15
lead on sentencing discrepancies and the February 18 piece on the
folly of "three strikes."

I think a sea change is occurring in the way these issues are
being seen by the majority of thinking Americans whose approval,
tacit or otherwise, is critical to whatever policy is carried out.
Demonization of drugs and a blank check for exorcism are no longer
to be accepted without question, if for no other reason than they
are no longer affordable.

It's clear that most politicians have yet to tumble to that fact.
Your editorial policy is both an indicator of what is happening
and an important factor in shaping whatever constructive changes
will take place.

Thomas J. O'Connell, MD
San Mateo