LONG PRISON SENTENCES A NON-SOLUTION TO DRUG ISSUE

Regarding your thoughtful editorial: "Long sentences costly solution
to drugs" (Dec. 3). Actually, long prison sentences are a costly
non-solution to drugs. Long prison sentences do not deter drug use.

Largely because of our so-called "tough on drugs" policies the United
States is the most incarcerated nation in history. We now have
greater than 2.2 million total prisoners. For comparison Great
Britain has only about 80,000 total prisoners and India which has
almost four times our population has fewer than 330,000 total prisoners.

What message does this send to the rest of the world?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.