REAL WAR ON DRUGS HAS NEVER BEEN WAGED

To the Editor:

The is in regards to your story, "Drug users a burden on ER services," June 6.

For 40 years we have waged a fake war on mind-altering drugs and those who
distribute them.

There has been no war on drugs. Police make arrests for dealers, and they
are back on the street before the police can complete the paperwork
documenting the arrest. In fact some police will not make arrests for pot
use anymore, because they feel that it will take them off the street for
too long of a period.

It is time as parents, health-care workers, teachers and everyone to start
demanding our government stand up and end the most deadly terrorist attack
on our nation - illegal drugs. More people have died from the effects of
drug use, or the crimes committed by those who use drugs. It has cost the
taxpayers more to fund treatment and education to prevent people from using
drugs or to control their addiction.

This problem will never be stopped until we declare a real war on drugs.
Maybe we need to start classifying dealers as terrorists and have them pay
the ultimate price for their chemical war on our nation. The ending of the
drug problem will save billions in state and federal tax dollars. It will
save the public the cost of secondary crime such as shoplifting, armed
robbery, yes and even murders. When the secondary crimes are no longer
being committed, we can start using the money spent to house prisoners to
our schools, health-care needs or even tax cuts.

Donnie Allen

Lebanon 37090