END THE DRUG WAR

Regarding ``Prison Bill Triggers Drug Debate Again'' (Nation/World,
Sept. 28):

Will the war on drugs be coming to an end if we are able to place all
people who use drugs behind bars? The recent addition of 3,000 new
inmates prompted Gov. Bush to sign an emergency measure shifting more
than $65 million from reserves into prison construction to handle the
population increase. How much will it cost to feed and house another
100,000 or so Florida residents if a sustained war on drugs were to be
truly successful? Who would like to see a new prison built in his
neighborhood to contain all of these ``casualties''?

We as a society need to come together and make some tough decisions on
the utilization of our mutual resources. Would you rather your tax
dollars be spent on smaller class sizes, bullet trains, war memorials,
the Department of Children & Families, a prescription drug benefit for
Medicare, bolstering Social Security, road improvements, veterans'
benefits, fire departments, art museums, environmental safeguards,
parks and recreation and homeland security or putting pot-smokers
behind bars?

I realize that marijuana is not the only drug in question. But does
punishing otherwise law- abiding citizens for what they put in their
body take priority over providing our children with the best possible
education? I think not. These drugs should be legalized and taxed to
high heaven, just as alcohol is. The underground drug trade would come
to a screeching halt, similar to bootlegging at the end of
Prohibition. This issue is a political hot potato, for sure, but it's
time for our leadership to put on some gloves.

P. O'Rourke

Tampa