PAIR'S PROSECUTION IS A WASTE

Re "Martyrs, pot dealers ... or possibly both?" Page A1, May 1): The
article states Dale Schafer and Dr. Marion Fry made up to $1 million
on recommendations and sales of cannabis. They likely paid taxes on
those dollars or they would have been prosecuted for tax evasion. My
questions: How much has this investigation and trial cost the American
taxpayer? How much will it cost the taxpayer to house and feed Schafer
and Fry over the next five years in federal prison?

I'll bet the combined costs amount to more than $1 million for a crime
that probably would not be prosecuted today. During the past 40 years,
the failed war on drugs has cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion, and
drugs are more prolific, more potent and cheaper. The drug war will
never end since too many people make way too much money on it, and at
the taxpayers' expense. What a horrible waste of time, money and lives.

Mark Collen, Sacramento