PRISON NO SOLUTION TO DRUG PROBLEMS

Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:

I'm writing about the thoughtful letter from Mett Ausley, "Meth Laws Proven
Effective," April 21, 2005.

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

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

Mostly because of our war on drugs policies, the United States has been
transformed into the most incarcerated nation in the history of human
civilization.

Even though we in the United States have less than 5 percent of the world's
population, we have more than 25 percent of the world's prisoners.

In other words, one out of every four 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, Ariz.