OUR COSTLY DRUG WAR

Re: "Building more prisons in Florida isn't the answer: Feb. 16, editorial

All kinds of illegal drugs are a health problem, not a criminal one.
Many governments in Latin America say that the war on drugs is a
complete failure and are decriminalizing their use. In 2001 Portugal,
with a predominantly Catholic population, changed its very hard line
against drugs and now allows all illegal drugs, including heroin,
cocaine and methamphetamine.

If you are caught using any of these drugs, arrangements are made to
send you to a psychologist and/or health center for treatment. But you
do not have to go! The result? All drug use there has declined, from
heroin to marijuana. HIV from sharing needles has also declined.

Meanwhile in America, with its severe criminal policies, cocaine and
heroin use has escalated. We spend billions of dollars every year
fighting it. It's a well-known law: Whatever you resist will persist.
More people are in our jails from "illegal" drug use than any other
so-called crime. Meanwhile, gangs deal in drugs, have drive-by
shootings protecting their turf, and we just keep spending more and
more money. We need to wake up.

Don Hayes, Tampa