DRUG TRAFFIC

Regarding "Drug trade thrives on the West's denial" by Antonio Maria
Costa (Views, Feb. 3):

International drug policy is a complete failure. Partly responsible
for this failure is the spread of misinformation, which is, indeed,
"leaving young people confused."

When Costa complains that there is no clarity on just how dangerous
"drugs like marijuana" are and in the next paragraph talks about
"gunshots in the night and the sight of bodies stacking up in morgues"
there is a clear intention to link the two ideas in the mind of the
reader, even though such violence is related to crack cocaine.

In addition, Costa's stereotypical claim that "crime and drug
addiction almost always occur in tandem" becomes meaningless tautology
if we consider that obtaining drugs is illegal.

Claiming progress for international drug policy, and blurring of the
differences between kinds of drugs for propaganda purposes, does not
help anyone.

Tom Froese, Brighton, England