WHY CAN'T WE FIGHT THE WAR ON DRUGS?

To The Times:

Recently, my heart was shattered due to the death of my grandson,
John. When is this senseless slaughter of our loved ones going to
stop? We fight wars for other things. Why can't we fight the war on
drugs?

The drug lords are making millions from our loved ones. The little guy
on the streets of North Philadelphia, Kensington, Lehigh and Somerset
in Chester, Highland Gardens, Third and Highland, Seventh Street and
many, many more (these are the ones I'm familiar with) are the ones
put in jail for distributing. When are they going to learn that, if
they stop all of this nonsense, there will be no one to sell this
murderous, vile, addiction that has taken over our world?

Selling drugs is not a job. It's a death sentence, a lethal injection
that causes the addict, family and loved ones nothing but heartache
and pain. Where does that leave us? What can we do? Why can't we stop
all of the drug trafficking at the borders? Give the middleman some
protection if they give up their big bosses. Stop the kickbacks from
whoever is supposed to be protecting us for keeping quiet. Please,
please, please help our children, grandchildren, sons and daughters,
brothers and sisters and all the generations yet to come from a life
of agony.

I'm sure there are people that will think addicts should be strong and
control their addictions. How many rehabs can you go to and come out
to the same thing? How many prisons, for a few dollars can you get
drugs? There are always some guards that can be bribed.

Nobody knows if they've never walked in an addict's
shoes.

Do not turn your back on your family.

MARIAN MELCHIORRE

Norwood