TIME TO END PROHIBITION FOR DRUGS?

To the Editor:

As a former prosecutor who did his time in the war on drugs (Brooklyn
in the golden age of crack, late '80s, early '90s), I agree
wholeheartedly with Nicholas D. Kristof's views that the war on drugs
is over ("Drugs Won the War," column, June 14).

In addition to Mr. Kristof's three main points, let me add two of my
own. First, abandoning the war on drugs will provide a tremendous
opportunity to appropriately intervene in the lives of people who are
abusing drugs. Forcing an addict to register with the government and
be subject to attempts to influence his or her behavior in exchange
for access to the drug of choice is appropriate; kicking in the door
and arresting the person are inappropriate.

Second, the military is becoming increasingly entangled in the war on
drugs, a law enforcement role that is entirely inappropriate. Our
brave fighting men and women should be protecting us from real
threats, not burning poppy fields and arresting drug lords in
Afghanistan.

Tinkering around the edges will not do it, and I do not favor
state-by-state experiments. The federal government declared the war on
drugs, and the federal government should now declare victory (or
defeat, it doesn't matter), and end the war. Radical reform is needed
now.

As Michael Douglas, portraying the drug czar, so wisely said in the
movie "Traffic," the war on drugs is a war on ourselves and our families.

Michael G. Brautigam

Cincinnati