RESULTS OF DRUG LAWS IN U.S. 'DEPRESSING'

Jack McGoldrick's response to my July 20 letter "Legalizing drugs would cut
costs, crime" with his letter Aug. 12, "Legalizing drugs would unleash
problems," shows the apparent lack of knowledge of the actual magnitude of
this nation's youthful illegal drug use.

You may buy almost any illegal drug you want, at almost all the public
middle and high schools in this country, and this has been the case ever
since the very early 1970s.

He ignored how most other civilized nations - Western Europe, especially -
have lowered their illegal usage - through the decriminalization of drugs.

I said that only the government would sell these drugs - as these other
civilized nations do - and anyone caught selling them to anyone younger
than 21 would be locked in a cell.

I know what I am talking about, but my opinion is not the law. McGoldrick's
opinion is the law, however, and this society has to put up with the
depressing results.

James E. Dunn

Myrtle Beach