DRUG LAWS WASTE MONEY

Federal taxpayers spend more than $22,000 a year to incarcerate a
nonviolent minor drug offender, yet only $7,086 to educate a child. Federal
drug laws require federal judges to give out harsh sentences to those
convicted. African-Americans are the targeted minorities in this drug war,
since they comprise 30 percent of those imprisoned while accounting for
only 12 percent of the general population.

Federal drug laws have failed. Drugs are cheaper and more available on the
streets than ever before. Our government must spend more and more money on
building prisons.

Let's spend our tax dollars on rehabilitating and redirecting minor drug
offenders and concentrate on turning them into useful citizens. Let us
spend the dollars saved on building and improving our public education system.

Perhaps then we can control our ever-increasing drug problem.

Raymond F. DeGruy, New Orleans