Pubdate: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 Source: DrugSense Weekly (DSW) Website: http://www.drugsense.org LETTER OF THE WEEK CALL A TRUCE IN DRUG WAR By Owen Davis Re: "U.S. can't duck serious issues at southern border," Tuesday Editorials. Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza's pessimism over Mexico's drug cartels is well-founded. However, his solution -- to pour billions of U.S. dollars into a continuation of the Nixon-era war on drugs -- is simply absurd. As long as we continue to treat drugs as a criminal justice matter rather than a public health matter, we will only enrich the drug dealers and impoverish the taxpayers of all nations. The legalization of drugs would free up vast sums for substance abuse treatment programs, eliminate most of the corruption of police and public officials, and turn convicts into taxpayers on both sides of the border. Perhaps an Obama administration will have the courage to just say no to this senseless war on our own citizens. Owen Davis Highland Village Pubdate: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 Source: Dallas Morning News (TX) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08.n1082.a04.html - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake