WANT TO END THE DRUG WAR? DITCH UNREASONABLE LAWS

I congratulate USA TODAY columnist DeWayne Wickham, radio show host
Tavis Smiley and everyone else who participated in the informative
Democratic forum held at Howard University ("Democratic forum gives
historic nod to blacks," The Forum, Tuesday).

As Wickham points out, the racist drug war received much needed
attention. Former senator Mike Gravel of Alaska said that in order to
help the African-American community, we have to end this
discriminatory war. It was also encouraging to see so many
presidential candidates speak out against the disparity in crack
powder cocaine penalties as well as other inhumane mandatory minimum
sentencing laws.

Now we need the candidates' actions to match their rhetoric. Here in
New York, Hillary Clinton should speak out strongly against the
draconian Rockefeller drug laws enacted three decades ago. The
majority of people sentenced under those laws are black or Latino,
which is grossly disproportionate to their share of the population or
their involvement in illegal drug use and sales.

Sen. Barack Obama should follow suit in Illinois, which ranks first
among all states in the incarceration rate of African-Americans for
drug possession offenses. Voters are tired of elected officials
breaking up families and wasting taxpayer dollars on ineffective
policies. When dealing with drugs and addictions, offenders need
treatment and second chances, not knee-jerk, lock-'em-up policies.

Ethan Nadelmann, executive director

Drug Policy Alliance

New York