Pubdate: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 Source: Gazette, The (CO) Copyright: 2002 The Gazette Contact: http://www.gazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/876 Author: Joe Bost DRUG WAR Legalization Would Remove Huge Profits In response to Jerry Hurley's letter, ("Profits from sales support terrorism," The Gazette, Jan. 24) accusing anyone who uses drugs of treason, I would like to say that to equate anyone with a different viewpoint on drugs of being guilty of treason is ludicrous. The war on drugs is a total failure. It has done so much harm to families and we have lost so many of our freedoms because of it. There have been millions of dollars worth of property seized from people who were never charged with or convicted of a crime. Making something illegal will not stop it from being. If drugs were legal, most of the profit would be gone and the reason to sell would diminish. Tobacco and alcohol are both addictive and harmful and yet they are legal. Why not legalize drugs, that way the government can at least have some control? They can be taxed and the money used on treatment and education. Colorado spends less on treatment than almost any other state and also has one of the highest number of marijuana users. This will also take a lot of the profit out of drugs and the money won't be going to the terrorists, if indeed it is now. Joe Bost, Colorado Springs - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D