WAR ON DRUGS REALLY IS AGAINST FELLOW AMERICANS

I guess I've seen more of my generation killed or murdered, addicted and
imprisoned than the three generations before mine. Prior to the baby
boomers, people actually lived long lives. However, now our prisons and
graveyards are filled with America's children.

Our justice system depends on whether you're a movie star or a street
person. The prosecutor has total immunity to make deals with low-lifes as
long as it's called plea bargaining.

We have lost the war on drugs, the war of American against American. Prison
has proven to be an ineffective option and taxpayers are weary of its hefty
price tag.

The cost to taxpayers for arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning people for
simple possession is between $7.5 billion and $10 billion annually,
according to the National Criminal Justice Commission.

So why are we still treating drug users as criminals instead of seeing them
as a public health crisis? Money, why else? Prisons bring jobs, growth and
more federal funding. It doesn't matter if prisoners can't vote, they're
only numbers.

Prohibition creates huge profits as well. The war on drugs has created the
kind of found cash that corrupts governments. And never mind how organized
crime profits from the insane war on addicts.

We have a health crisis in this country and we need prison and court
reform. We need to turn our prisons into treatment centers. Addicts are
people, too. They need our help, not our jails. Let's stop the war at home
on our own citizens.

PENNY SALATER, Ludowici