WAR ON DRUGS

Dear Editor

The immorality and the cost of the War on Drugs harm us more than the drugs
themselves. With 10 years of experience in law enforcement, (Illinois Dept.
of Corrections), I have met many convicted drug offenders, "BAD" people
labeled as a threat to my family and me. I assure you I'd have no qualms
living next door to the vast majority, and I have two small girls, 6 and 7 yrs.

Make no mistake, drugs are bad and can ruin a person's life-but we have
more people killed in drug-related shootings than in overdoses.

This moralism that pushes prohibition in our free society, combined with
the vast amounts of money generated by the prohibition (both selling and
fighting drugs) create a far greater threat to our country than the drugs
themselves. In this world of terrorism and oppression we must not spend our
time and resources fighting or imprisoning ourselves-we are not the enemy.

If we channeled the money through our medical system that we push through
our penal system fighting drug addiction, wouldn't our society be better
off? I can tell you first hand our penal system is a bottomless pit and
offers little benefit to our society, other than segregation of the "BAD
PEOPLE". These prohibition laws unfairly place far too many people into the
"BAD PEOPLE" category.

We must call for an end to the War.

Mark Hill