UTTER FAILURE

Regarding "Hard stuff; Get real about dealing with illegal drugs"
(Page B11, Tuesday), the emperor has no clothes. Thank you for your
editorial praising the report of the Global Commission on Drugs. That
commission, whose membership included some of the most conservative
Republicans from recent administrations, showed what almost everyone
knows but is afraid to mention: The 40-year-old War on Drugs is a
costly and destructive failure.

It's time to strip this tired old fraud bare and look for better ways
to deal with the problems of drug misuse.

In particular, those looking to reduce government spending should
look at the trillion dollars wasted so far. How much could be saved
by closing down the DEA and the Office of Drug Control Policy and
removing the 50-plus percent of those in federal prison who are there
for nonviolent drug offenses?

The Global Commission has pointed out the emperor's nudity. Now it is
up to us to construct a proper, noncriminal wardrobe for our drug policy.

Buford C. Terrell, Stafford