A BUDGET SAVING IDEA: END THE WAR ON DRUGS

One area of the federal budget that should be cut is the money spent
to fight the drug wars. Primarily, this means decriminalizing personal
drug use by peaceful adults and regulating the sale of currently
illegal drugs. Whether we are talking about controlled drugs or
prescription drugs, it should not be a civil or criminal offense for
peaceful and honest adults to ingest any substance.

If a person drives a vehicle while intoxicated or commits crimes to
support a drug habit, that is a different situation, and it is a
proper role of government to protect citizens against the real threats
to physical harm by others. It is also a proper role of our government
to protect children. But, we should not wreck the futures of peaceful
adults by giving them a criminal record for drug use.

You can drink as much alcohol as you want in your home or at a bar (as
long as you don't drive while intoxicated), and that is your personal
business, and it has no effect on your ability to get or keep a job or
to serve in the military or to get an education. But, if you get
caught using drugs, you will have significant problems in all of those
areas. That is not right, it is not just and is a wrongful
infringement on our liberties.

Kurt Johnson, Urbandale