'FORBIDDEN FRUIT' HAS STRONG APPEAL

I'm writing about the June 23 editorial "Great idea, mixed results."

Common sense dictates that the D.A.R.E. program should deter drug use. But
it doesn't.

Common sense tells us that Earth is the center of the universe and the
solar system. But it's not.

Common sense tells us that prohibiting a product reduces the use of the
product prohibited. Actually, drug prohibition has proven to be
counterproductive and substantially increases drug use.

Before marijuana was prohibited in the United States via the Marijuana Tax
Act of 1937, the vast majority of Americans had never even heard of marijuana.

Today everybody in the United States knows what marijuana is, and the U.S.
government estimates that 76 million have used it. Half of all high school
students will use it before they graduate.

It is human nature for people to want what they are told they cannot have,
especially children. The "forbidden fruit" appeal is very strong.

No other nation on the planet has spent more of its resources on fighting
drug abuse nor imprisoned more of its citizens for drug law violations than
the United States. Yet no other nation has been less successful than the
United States in solving its drug-abuse problems.

It's time for the United States to do something different.

Substantially different.

KIRK MUSE Mesa, Ariz.