END THE 'WAR,' END THE PROBLEM

To the Editor:

The war on drugs is not a war on drugs. It is a war on drug users,
especially those from underprivileged and minority groups, driven by
ignorance and fear and waged with lies. It kills the addicts. It
destroys respect for the law. It creates huge criminal empires. It
undermines whole societies.

In my opinion, Kirk Muse's "pot induced fog" of comparing the war on
drugs to the past liberation of oppressed peoples was much more
intelligent than William Nickoley's ignorance-induced fog of
sensational name-calling his letter, "Wacky weed adds to woes," on May
24).

Legalizing marijuana would end the war on drugs. While we hear about
more potent heroin, super-addictive meth and cheaper cocaine, 99
percent of all drug charges are for marijuana. The facts are, in other
nations that have legalized marijuana or don't consider it a priority
there is no heroin, meth, or cocaine problem.

LARRY SEGUIN

Lisbon, N.Y.