Pubdate: Thu, 30 Nov 2000
Date: 11/30/2000
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Author: Sonny Church

With all due respect to the writer of the letter "Coast Guard needs
means to fight drug smuggling" (Nov. 27) and the U.S. Coast Guard, the
money they propose to fight a drug war we cannot win would be better
spent developing solutions to help people enslaved by drugs.

How many billions will we spend before coming to the obvious
conclusion: The war on drugs is over, and the good guys lost?

How many hopeless addicts will be caged in prisons? How many dedicated
police officers will be buried -- their families left grieving and
embittered?

Prohibition is not the answer. It didn't work in the 1920s and it
won't work now.

Sonny Church,
Fallston