LETTER OF THE WEEK

DRUG WAR IN U.S. WAGED WITH FANFARE, BUT NO VICTORY IN SIGHT

By Walter Hoffman

For some four decades or more the federal government has been waging
a "war" on narcotic drugs. Presidents have come and gone, all
swearing to control the use of such drugs and appoint drug czars with
great fanfare to wage this "war," only to have such czars fade away
into oblivion without victory in sight. During this time our prisons
have become filled to overflowing with minor drug dealers and users;
entire nations have become narco-states in order to supply the
world's demand for these drugs; and we are spending $40 billion
annually on trying to control this supply ( The Economist, March 7).
All with what result?

Today, our neighbor to the south, Mexico, is becoming a narco-state,
with the drug cartels controlling much of the law enforcement,
judicial and the political bodies of the state; the tentacles of
these cartels are now reaching into the United States where they
control the drug traffic and are certainly suborning many of our law
enforcement officials; drugs may be purchased at many street corners
throughout our nation; the Taliban in Afghanistan is financed by the
opium trade in their war against us; and we continue to spend
millions of dollars without any hope of overcoming this problem. The solution?

Legalize these controlled substances and establish government
operated stores to dispense retail amounts of these drugs at prices
that would damp down their use while discouraging a black market.
Such a move would not only put the drug lords out of business but
also transform drugs from a law and order problem into a public
health problem. Proceeds from the sale of these drugs would be used
to educate the public.

Walter Hoffman

Polk City

Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jun 2009

Source: Ledger, The (Lakeland, FL)