ROAD TO DISASTER

Regarding ``End The Drug War'' (Letters, Oct. 2):

The otherwise ``law-abiding people'' referred to in the letter are
all, I'm sure, in the top of their game. They have all the money they
need to properly support themselves and their family (if they have
one). They have adequate savings to take care of future involvements
(retirement, doctors and prescription drug costs, etc.).

None of these people would ever make a mistake when driving because
they were not clear of mind and never would they ever hurt anyone else
because of their actions.

Do you hear people on drugs say, ``I'm a smarter, richer, wiser person
since I got hooked on drugs''? How many people do we hear plead their
cause because drugs took away the fundamentals of life and now they
need our help? You can't get into the problems caused by drugs if you
never start!

I don't want to be hurt by a person whose brain is not working
efficiently, putting me into less of a life less than I enjoy at
present. Why don't we speak of the disadvantages of using drugs, which
I believe is a one-way street to disaster? How many times do we read
of a person involved in crime to support his habit?

To believe that we can build schools and do all the things mentioned
in the letter if we would tax drugs is a sick joke. We'll have
problems never thought of before, and law enforcement will be working
overtime to keep up with its job.

Aren't there two sides to every story? Why can't people think about
both?

Vaun L. Hamlin Jr.

Sun City Center