WAR ON DRUGS HARMS SOCIETY

With respect to the editorial, "Biggest fights in drug war lie ahead" on
May 5, why should there be any praise heaped on the multibillion-dollar
drug prohibition industry?

Are historically high rates of children removed from their homes and the
latest surge in meth use or, say, huffing deaths not enough evidence that
the drug war harms society?

Why is it that, although 15 of the top donors listed on the Partnership for
a Drug-Free America site are pharmaceutical interests, this fact
consistently remains undisclosed in newspaper editorials and public service
announcements?

Finally, Congress, the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug
Enforcement Administration all seem to agree with repeated Office of
National Drug Control Policy claims that Ritalin, Prozac, crack and
cigarette smoke are safer and healthier to ingest than marijuana in any form.

Should the federal government be liable for damages resulting from such
fraud and willful ignorance?

JOSE MELENDEZ

DeLand, Fla.