COMMENTS IRK LEGALIZATION SUPPORTER

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Mr. Eric Myrholm's telling missive War On Drugs
Better Than Legalization, Dec. 17.

What a cynical read on "the facts."

Mr. Myrholm wants his argument to prevail so badly he does not weigh
all sides of the story.

Just remember a few things Eric, before changes in U.S. drug law we
had about 1.5 per cent drug addicts in the U.S. and after half a
trillion dollars wasted in anti drug bureaucracy, we are no closer to
our goal of a drug free America and the number of addicts is the same
1.5 per cent.

We have "drug exceptions" in our Bill of Rights, a power struggle for
taxpayer dollars, and any amount police can seize on the preponderance
of the evidence (no conviction). If you think the destruction of any
good relationship U.S. police have with the citizenry is not
important, guess again.

Today, few trust the police because the war on drugs juggernaut has
given law enforcement blanket policy to shoot-to-kill suspects and
innocents that get in the line of fire, corruption, and a host of
problems most want to keep quiet about.

What has not been mentioned is that EVERY drug commission empanelled
in the past century to recommend solutions to drugs in society call
for something much different than what we have today.

Big government has always turned a blind eye to the more sensible
approach of harm reduction to the big business of this domestic war
and rely on sycophants such as Myrholm to beat the drum.

The real truth of the internecine relationship of guns, money and
drugs worldwide is that this situation can only be reigned in through
regulation and treatment.

Its really about the money and I bet we all would be surprised where
it goes.

Drug war talking points are based mostly on fear, gutter science, and
sometimes racism thrown in when necessary, like any war, but this one
is against ourselves.

PETER CHRISTOPHER

Hurdle Mills, NC

Editor's note: The Leader received a number of letters in response to
the War on Drugs topic. The letters came from across the continent,
with writers from Arizona, Massachusetts and Colorado sending us their
thoughts. Although Canada's laws are different than those discussed
with the American War on Drugs, we felt the content was still relevant
to our readers.