Pubdate: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 Source: Times Record News (TX) Copyright: 2000 The E.W. Scripps Co. Contact: 1301 Lamar, Wichita Falls, TX 76301 Fax: 940/767-1741 Feedback: http://www.trnonline.com/opinions2/letters/form.shtml Website: http://www.trnonline.com/ Author: Kirk Muse Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1310/a04.html Note: additional letters by Kirk Muse may be found at http://www.mapinc.org/authors/muse+kirk HOW TO END THE DRUG WAR Your column by Steve Clements ("We're the bad guys: Get us out of Colombian affairs," Sept. 4, page 6B) was right on the mark, except that he didn't mention that if we re-legalized recreational drugs in the United States, the drug lords would be out of business in a heartbeat. Prior to 1920, there was no such thing as illegal drugs. Heroin and cocaine were both available at local pharmacies. Nobody had to rob, steal or engage in prostitution to obtain money to purchase drugs. Drug lords didn't exist. Kirk Muse, Vancouver, Wash., via e-mail - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder