WAR ON DRUGS HAS GONE ON TOO LONG, COST 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