LEGALIZE TO STOP VIOLENCE

A futile drug crusade is currently wrecking Mexico without reducing
the flow of drugs one iota. America's drug prohibition policy is the
sole reason that Mexico is fighting a losing battle with the drug
cartels ("Keep Valley's federal crime team intact," Opinion 2, Dec.
14).

The drug war cannot be won because putting more effort into stopping
drugs only makes the drug business more profitable for the drug
dealers. Making drug dealing ever more profitable makes it impossible
to ever stop or even slow the flow of illegal drugs.

After 94 straight years of utter failure, it's time to try something
else. Prohibition did not work for alcohol and prohibition is not
working for drugs. The solution to America's self-created "drug
prohibition problems" is to stop doing what we are doing and to
regulate adult drug use the way we do alcohol.

A regulated market for alcohol put the bootleggers out of the alcohol
business in 1933 and repealing the drug laws will put the cartels out
of business now and make Arizona safe from violent drug gangs.

Ralph Givens

Daly City, Calif.