GUESS WHAT: DRUG WAR ISN'T WORKING

Regarding the June 23 article, "Phoenix a front in latest drug
war":

Since Congress passed the U.S. Drug Abuse Regulation and Control Act
of 1970, we have wasted about a trillion dollars attempting to nullify
the immutable law of supply and demand. The net result is that drugs
are just as available today as they were in 1970.

In 1970, methamphetamine was not a household word that appeared once a
week in almost every daily newspaper. It is today.

Since 1970 we have had a steady stream of politicians posing for photo
opportunities and announcing that we're going to get tough on drug
dealers. As a result, the former "Land of Liberty" has become the most
incarcerated nation on the planet and in history.

We now have less than 5 percent of the world's population but more
than 25 percent of the world's prisoners. And drugs are just as
available today as they were in 1970. Any drug dealers arrested and
jailed are soon replaced.

It's time to do something different - substantially different.

Kirk Muse

Mesa