TAKE THE KEY AND LOCK 'EM UP

I'm writing about your thoughtful editorial "Senate panel OKs strong
anti-meth law," Wednesday.

Keeping the ingredients of meth behind the counter is certainly a better
solution than the non-solution of building more and bigger prisons.

Oklahoma learned the hard way that so-called "tough on drugs" policies
don't work and are very expensive. Largely because of its tough on drugs
policies, Oklahoma became the fourth-highest state for incarcerations.

Largely because of our war on drugs, the United States has been transformed
into the most incarcerated nation in history. With less than 5 percent of
the world's population, the U.S. has more than 25 percent of the world's
prisoners.

One of every 4 prisoners in the world is locked in an American jail or
prison. What message does this send to the rest of the world?

Kirk Muse

Mesa