LEGALIZATION ANSWER TO DRUG PROBLEM

Stuart Schmitz, in his recent letter to the editor "War on drugs expensive,
futile" was to the point, and absolutely correct.

The key word regarding the drug war is control. Drug use is not bad, drug
abuse is bad.

We all use drugs or other ways to alter our feelings. Drugs may not be the
best choice, but it is a choice we individually need to make.

Legalization of illicit drugs is the only reasonable solution to our
national (and worldwide) drug problem. Legalization does not mean freedom
to use or abuse drugs indiscriminately. Legalization means control.

Legalization refers to a set of rules for behavior and rules for the drugs
themselves.

Legalization destroys the "black market" for drugs, which is responsible
for the majority of the crime, violence and overdose deaths associated with
illicit drug use.

The total cost of our drug war over the past 30 years is one-half trillion
dollars, and nothing has been done to resolve this problem.

John Haselow, M.D.,

Drug Policy Reform, Neenah