EXPORTING WEALTH

Terry Nelson's article of Friday, March 27, "Legalize drugs and take
smugglers off Forbes list," Page B9, expresses the thoughts of many of
us. Because Nelson has served as a federal agent with the Border
Patrol, the Customs Service and Department of Homeland Security, he is
in a much better position than most to assess the progress of the "war
on drugs," and his assessment is that the war is a failure. Why don't
we listen to him? We are now exporting almost as much wealth to the
drug lords as we are to our oil suppliers. People will never stop
using drugs, but if drugs were legalized and controlled, the economic
advantages to the United States would be enormous. Imagine if our
government were to collect even half of the $500 billion Nelson says
is going to the gangs and drug cartels. We could fund drug education,
treatment and research as Nelson suggests and have a lot left over.

Al Gordon, The Woodlands