WAR ON DRUGS MISGUIDED

The Herald-Sun on May 4 had a front page story about the connection between
marijuana use and mental illness.

While the text pointed out that the study cited did not establish a causal
connection, your headline implied it and our nation's drug "czar" is
certainly assuming it. While not advocating their use, here are a few
interesting facts about drugs.

Of all abused drugs, the two most lethal and costly to society are also
legal, alcohol and tobacco. All of the social costs of illegal drugs,
including death, disease, accidents, lost productivity, etc. are so small
compared to the two legal ones, as to be non-existent, particularly
marijuana who's negative social costs are comparatively nil. Despite this,
about 80 percent or more of law enforcement money is spent on drug related
activity, all of which has proven useless as drug use has either risen or
remained steady -- depending on the substance -- all during the war on drugs.

The only effect of this war has been to increase the profits of those in
the drug business, including law enforcement. Further, virtually every
government in the world, especially ours, is actively involved in the
illegal drug trade.

This has been amply documented in the congressional record and on the front
pages of our major newspapers. We even went so far as to hire Klaus Barbie,
an infamous Nazi, to oust a legitimate Bolivian government which threatened
the cocaine business we profited from -- again, amply documented. The war
on drugs benefits only the dealers and law enforcement, while the rest of
us pay.

MARTIN EAGLE, Bahama May 9, 2005