Pubdate: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 Source: Daily Item (Sunbury, PA) Copyright: 2008 The Daily Item Contact: http://www.dailyitem.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1045 Author: Howard J. Wooldridge MISDIRECTED PRIORITIES Thank you for exposing your readers to the reality that a significant portion of law enforcement professionals oppose the policy of drug prohibition and its attendant strategy we call the "war on drugs." We, in the trenches, know what a horrendous waste of time it is to chase Willie Nelson, Whitney Houston and their suppliers. I just read your "Surrender is no victory" op-ed. The issue is not: Are these prohibited drugs dangerous or deadly? That is a given. If being dangerous were the criteria, alcohol and tobacco would be illegal. I ask you to deliver to your readers your reasons why you believe that prohibition is the most effective drug control strategy to reduce crime, death, disease and drug use. Please tell them all the advantages of the current policy as we go into our second trillion in spending. I believe that drug policy should be based on the principles of liberty, property rights, personal responsibility, limited government, effective government and states rights. Your principles are what? According to U.S. Senate testimony, this year we will arrest only 12,000 persons for possession of child porn (out a possible 600,000 suspects). In 2008, we will arrest another 1.4 million for simple possession of drugs. Does that make sense? Howard J. Wooldridge, Frederick, Md. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake