TREAT DRUG ABUSE AS HEALTH ISSUE, NOT A CRIME

It's time the USA woke up and realized keeping drugs illegal only
makes them more profitable for drug dealers ("If California goes to
pot, rest of U.S. gets dragged in," Our view, Marijuana debate, Wednesday).

Let's bring the decades-long war to an end by legalizing all drugs and
dispersing them through drugstores. Then use the taxes generated on
the sales to treat drug abuse as a health issue, which it is.

We would also save money by ceasing the fruitless prosecution and
incarceration of drug users.

And it would put drug cartels out of business. We could then focus on
the true consumption epidemic raging in this country: obesity.

Roger L. Schlaifer

Amelia Island, Fla.