DON'T LEGALIZE DRUGS

The recent opinion piece, "Drug legalization would help bring end to
related crime" ignores the painful lessons we have learned about
illegal drugs in America over the past several decades.

Drugs such as meth, marijuana and heroin are illegal because they are
harmful. The notion that making drugs legal would make our nation
safer is absurd and contradicts the efforts of committed parents,
teachers and community leaders who are working to keep dangerous,
addictive drugs away from young people.

In the opinion piece, it is noted that the goal of his group, "South
Carolinians for Drug Law Reform" is to "legalize all drugs." What
would South Carolina, or the United States, look like if we had just
as many people using meth, heroin or marijuana as use cigarettes or
alcohol?

Solid public health strategies are formed on the understanding that
the less illegal drugs are socially acceptable and the less
availability there is, the fewer users there are.

As a resident of Charleston, I hope my fellow South Carolinians will
join me in our efforts to change a culture of acceptance of drug use
by providing accurate information about the dangers of drugs to users
and the costs to society.

Mary Ann Solberg

Deputy Director

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Washinton, D.C.