GUNS AND DRUGS HAVE ONE IMPORTANT THING IN COMMON

Regarding Pat Orsban's guest commentary, "Banning firearms would not
improve our safety," (AC-T, Oct. 9).

For years I've known that increasing the penalties against illegal drugs
causes only the casual users to quit, but they have not been a problem
anyhow. Drug abusers, on the contrary, will get their fix whether legal or
not. That is why escalating penalties does almost nothing to reduce drug
abuse. It just increases the profit of the illegal market and draws in more
violent men who disrespect authority.

Similarly, those who would turn in their guns voluntarily would never be a
problem to society. Violent men, disrespectful of authority, will get guns
whether legal or not. Back in the 1980s I sent money to Handgun Control,
but not now, and I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out.

John Chase, Palm Harbor, Fla.