STILL, LET'S DEBATE THE ISSUE

Kudos to Clarence Page for highlighting the El Paso City Council for
passing a resolution calling for an open and honest debate about our
failed drug prohibition policies. While President Bush and his drug
czar spin their "success" in the unending war on drugs, the death and
suffering continues.

In the U.S., prisons are exploding with nonviolent drug offenders,
thousands die from drug prohibition violence along the border and
drugs remain as easy to obtain as ever. On the Mexican side of the
border, gory tales of the drug war's consequences dominate the daily
headlines. So far this year, 10 times more Mexicans have died due to
drug prohibition than have American soldiers in Iraq.

While there are some compelling reasons why drugs should remain
illegal, we should at least begin an honest discussion about the
causes of the violence and the range of options to deal with the
harms of both drugs and drug prohibition. It is clear that the
strategy of the last 40 years is not working.

Tony Newman

Drug Policy Alliance

New York