WAR ON DRUGS HAS GONE ON FOR TOO LONG, COSTS TOO MUCH

Forty years, $1 trillion and nothing to show for it. It's obvious the
federal government's war on drugs has been, and continues to be, an
abysmal failure. Martha Mendoza's article on May 14 hit the nail on the head.

The contradiction of governmental thinking, "It's not working. Do it
more," defies reason. This is especially true with the illegality of
marijuana. The fact that people are prosecuted and imprisoned for
marijuana possession, while alcohol remains legal, is the height of absurdity.

America's war on drugs is a lost cause. We need to reevaluate our
drug laws. Some 1.5 million Americans are arrested for drug
possession every year. Our prisons are filled with nonviolent drug
offenders being housed with hardened criminals. The legalization of
marijuana and the decriminalization of other drugs will free police
and prosecutors to concentrate on more serious crimes. It is not
government's place to intrude into the lives of private citizens,
especially when those citizens do not pose a threat to themselves or others.

Instead of spending $15 billion to $20 billion a year fighting drug
consumption, taxing marijuana consumption would add more than that
amount to the treasury's coffers.

David C. Martin, Wilmington