Editor's note: The Times received many letters concerning the City
Council resolution including language about discussing legalization
of drugs. Some of these were written before the resolution veto was upheld.

END PROHIBITION

Thank you, El Paso Times, for all your reporting on the City
Council's suggestion for a national debate on reforming our drug policies.

Thanks for publishing Terry Nelson's guest column (Sunday) stating
that law enforcement is against prohibition's position.

They kicked off the "We Can Do It Again" project, calling for an end
to drug prohibition on the recent 75th anniversary of the repeal of
alcohol prohibition.

Allow history to repeat itself: Repeal prohibition. Gain better
control by regulating all drugs like we do pharmaceuticals, tobacco or alcohol.

We tolerate the salesmen of these drug gangs that cause more death
annually than all illicit drugs.

The real danger to society is prohibition, triggering violence in our
streets and across our borders. Prohibition has destroyed many lives
and families in the U.S., wasting trillions in tax dollars, causing
37 million arrests for nonviolent offenses.

Murderers and violent sexual predators roam free, while we police
nonviolent social, medicinal and religious drug use.

This policy bordering on insanity obviously is not the best use of
our limited resources or making our neighborhoods safer.

Get tough on violent offenders; drug warriors don't have to look far
for something better to do.

Colleen Minter McCool

Stephenville, Texas