Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jun 2011 Source: Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX) Copyright: 2011 The E.W. Scripps Co. Contact: http://web.timesrecordnews.com/opinions2/lte_forms/letters2.html Website: http://www.timesrecordnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/995 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n359/a07.html Bad policy Regarding Judith McGinnis' thoughtful June 2 column, the U.S. drug war has given the land of the free the highest incarceration rate in the world. Prohibition-related violence has caused upward of 35,000 deaths in Mexico over the past four years. Despite criminal penalties, the U.S. has higher rates of drug use than European Union countries such as Portugal that have decriminalized. With skyrocketing national debt threatening the long-term viability of the U.S. economy, this country can no longer afford to throw good money after bad drug policy. Robert Sharpe Arlington, Va. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.