Pubdate: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2011 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com/app/forms/letters/index.php Website: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Neal Hook FAILURE OF THE WAR ON DRUGS From my perspective, the majority of incarcerated prisoners are in for drugs - users, buyers or sellers. Drug money supports the gangs. Mexican gangs are destroying the tourism industry in their country. Gang wars are disastrous with violence and murder. Supporting a failed program is impractical and unjustified. Legalizing drugs would create problems, but it may well be worth it. Our prison population would drop dramatically. A tax on controlled legalized drugs would create money for our economy. Our police and drug enforcement agencies would save millions and it would allow them to focus on other crimes. Our war on drugs is a miserable failure. It's time to consider other options. Neal Hook Escondido - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.