LEGALIZING DRUGS WILL REGULATE THEM

I'm writing about Howard J. Wooldridge's outstanding column
"Legalizing drugs is better way to fight drug problem" on April 10.

The so-called war on drugs was lost before it began. No matter how
much money we throw down the drug war rat hole, we will never be able
to nullify the immutable law of supply and demand. As long as people
want recreational drugs, and they are willing to pay a substantial
price for the drugs, somebody will produce them, and somebody else
will get the drugs to the willing buyers.

This much we can guarantee.

Almost 100 percent of our so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by
our drug prohibition policies, not the drugs themselves.

If we were to re-legalize all of our now-illegal drugs, would this
eliminate our drug problems? No.

However, it would greatly reduce our crime problems. Once drugs are
re-legalized, they then can be regulated and controlled.

Once drugs are regulated and controlled, we can then work on reducing
our drug problems.

Will we ever be able to eliminate our drug problems?
No.

However, we can substantially reduce the harm caused by our now
illegal drugs. Regulated and controlled drugs would be of known
purity, known potency and known quality -- just the opposite of our
bootleg, black market drugs of today.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.