PROHIBITION OF DRUGS HAS NEVER WORKED

Like every other drug warrior with a vested interest in continuing a futile
drug crusade, Veronica Nunley (Daily Independent, Dec. 7) ignores the
history of drug prohibition.

When drugs were legal, addicts held regular employment, raised decent
families and were indistinguishable from their teetotaling neighbors.
Overdoses were virtually unheard of when addicts used cheap pure Bayer
Heroin instead of the expensive toxic potions prohibition puts on the streets.

All of America's ``drug problems" spring from the lunatic drug war Veronica
Nunley makes her living from, not the drugs themselves.

History proves the counterproductive nature of drug prohibition. Where drug
crime was unheard of, we now have prisons overflowing with drug users.
Where addicts lived normal lives, we have hundreds of thousands of
shattered families. Where overdoses were extremely rare, we have tens of
thousands of drug deaths every year.

These are the end products of the drug policy Veronica Nunley advocates.

The Heroin Maintenance Program in Switzerland has reduced transmission of
HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and other injection diseases to the lowest rate in
the world. Overdose deaths are now practically unknown among Swiss addicts.
Furthermore, crime among Swiss addicts has fallen off the charts.

The same outcomes are occurring in every other country with enlightened
drug policies.

The drug prohibition policy endorsed by self-serving prohibitionists, on
the other hand, has never worked for anything, anywhere, anytime.

Redford Givens
San Francisco

WOES CAUSED BY DRUG WAR, NOT DRUGS

Forgive my intrusion by this ``outsider" but Veronica Nunley's Dec. 7
letter deserves a response. Her statement, ``The most successful drug
prevention and treatment strategies are community-based," couldn't be more
true.

However, the balance of her letter shows her lack of understanding about
the so-called ``drug legalization" movement. That failure to understand is
shown by her important question, ``What are the prospects we can reduce the
harm caused by illicit drugs just by legalizing them?"

She should better ask about the harm caused by prohibition. If she were
knowledgeable about that, then she will know enough to make a judgment.
Many, if not most, of the evils of drugs result from the drug war, not the
drugs.

There are numerous sources in books, newspapers and on the Web. I
recommend she start by reading Mike Grey's book, ``Drug Crazy: How We Got
Into This Mess and How We Can Get Out." It's a ``page turner" and educates
along the way.

Gerald M. Sutliff
Oakland, Calif.