'GRAVY TRAIN'

To the editor:

It's understandable why most prosecutors won't call the Drug War for what
it really is.

And that's a gravy train for them and other members of the criminal justice
system. Non-violent drug arrests in the United States numbered close to 1.2
million last year, with half of those for marijuana possession only.

To end this war on (some) drugs would effectually remove close to half the
cases currently on criminal court dockets.

While proper and adequate treatment for true drug abusers gets cut from
government budgets nationwide (here in Florida Gov. Bush announced a $13
million cut recently), the police, prosecutors and prisons keep rolling
along singing a song.

The current drug prohibition laws benefit no one but those doing the
prohibiting.

Stephen Heath

Drug Policy Forum of Florida

Clearwater, Fla.