Pubdate: Thu, 03 May 2001 Source: Northwest Florida Daily News (FL) Copyright: 2001 Northwest Florida Daily News Contact: http://www.nwfdailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/313 Author: Clark Hosmer TO END THE WAR Four recent comments on your editorial support of ending the "war on drugs" happen to resemble the public's distribution for and against the war. About one-third of the public favors continuing the war: Robert Maheu's "Druggies' burden" (letter, April 30). About two-thirds favor ending the war: Mark Stemler's "End this war" (letter, April 29), Amanda Jones' "Deadly prohibition" (letter, April 29) and Dennis Woltz's "U.S. police state" (letter, April 30). We have three ways to end the war. At the federal level, because use of drugs is a health problem, put control under the Department of Health and Human Services or under the surgeon general. Or, better, do what we did in 1933 with the 21st Amendment. We put control of liquor at state level, closer to the voters. That would stop the war's ravages of our culture. The states' controls would vary. The state policy that would reduce rates of crime the most and increase revenue the most would soon have followers. To get the attention of Congress may require more than a million letters, phone calls and e-mails to the two senators and the representative we voted into office. The will of voters, if expressed, has more influence than even political money. Onward with demands to delegate authority to the 50 states to control all drugs now defined as illegal. Clark Hosmer, Shalimar - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew