Pubdate: Sun, 08 May 2011 Source: Sacramento Bee (CA) Copyright: 2011 Mark Collen Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1 Website: http://www.sacbee.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376 Author: Mark Collen Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n277/a08.html PAIR'S PROSECUTION IS A WASTE Re "Martyrs, pot dealers ... or possibly both?" Page A1, May 1): The article states Dale Schafer and Dr. Marion Fry made up to $1 million on recommendations and sales of cannabis. They likely paid taxes on those dollars or they would have been prosecuted for tax evasion. My questions: How much has this investigation and trial cost the American taxpayer? How much will it cost the taxpayer to house and feed Schafer and Fry over the next five years in federal prison? I'll bet the combined costs amount to more than $1 million for a crime that probably would not be prosecuted today. During the past 40 years, the failed war on drugs has cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion, and drugs are more prolific, more potent and cheaper. The drug war will never end since too many people make way too much money on it, and at the taxpayers' expense. What a horrible waste of time, money and lives. Mark Collen, Sacramento - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake