DOWN IN THE TRENCHES IN A WAR THAT CAN'T BE WON (2 OF 4)

Ms. O'Grady is correct beyond any doubt that the war on drug use has
been and will continue to be a total failure. Citing the late Milton
Friedman, she correctly notes there is just too much money in it for
the distribution channel to ever run dry.

Legalizing drugs will bring the street price down to production costs
plus margin, and put the dealers on the unemployment line. The money
saved -- no doubt in the tens to hundreds of billions -- can be
channeled into all sorts of ways to reduce drug use. If this society
can successfully stigmatize tobacco addiction and make significant
progress against drunk driving, surely we can figure this one out as
well. But it starts with the core admission that while attacking the
supply side of the distribution channel might make for good politics,
it is doomed policy.

Jack Kay

Framingham, Mass.