TOUGH DRUG POLICIES FAIL

Re: War on drugs doomed (News, Oct. 12).

If so-called tough-on-drugs policies worked the idealistic goal of a
drug-free America would have been reached a long time ago.

And if tolerant drug policies created more drug use, the Netherlands
would have much higher drug usage rates than the U.S.

They do not.

In fact, the Dutch use marijuana and other recreational drugs at much
lower rates than Americans do.

And if tolerant drug policies caused more overall crime, especially
violent crime, the Dutch would have much higher crime rates than the
U. S.

They do not.

The Dutch murder rate is less than one-third the U. S. per capita
murder rate and their rate of incarceration is about one-seventh the
U. S. incarceration rate.

In the Netherlands, marijuana is sold to adults without criminal
sanctions in coffee shops.

In the U.S., marijuana is sold by criminals who often sell other, much
more dangerous drugs, who often offer free samples of the more
dangerous drugs to their marijuana customers -- creating the gateway
effect.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.