DRUGS WON THE WAR Re: Canada’s illicit drug trade growing, March 3. So if I read this article correctly, all the billions of dollars spent on the “war on drugs” in the United States and Canada has resulted in a growth in the trade. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) […]

BILL COULD LEGALIZE, REGULATE MARIJUANA USE A Solid and Sensible Case for Legalization Thank you for making such a solid and sensible case for the legalization and regulation of marijuana [“Legalize marijuana,” Opinion, Feb. 20]. As Seattle’s police chief for six years, and as a law-enforcement officer for nearly three […]

A BUDGET SAVING IDEA: END THE WAR ON DRUGS One area of the federal budget that should be cut is the money spent to fight the drug wars. Primarily, this means decriminalizing personal drug use by peaceful adults and regulating the sale of currently illegal drugs. Whether we are talking […]

DRUG WAR PROFITS AT STAKE Thomas Ravenel’s Feb. 5 commentary regarding legalizing drugs gives me grave concern. Legalization could severely impact the socio-economic fabric of our state. He asks, ‘Has all that incarcerating (of drug users) helped?’ Yes! The Drug War ‘industrial complex’ is thriving. South Carolina law enforcement agencies, […]

BROKE CALIFORNIA IS WASTING MONEY ON BUSTS It has been 15 years, and law enforcement still thinks the medical marijuana laws are confusing. As long as marijuana is not taxed and regulated like booze and tobacco, this is going to happen. Law enforcement has to do this to prop up […]

A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN Re “Puff piece” by Nick Miller (SN&R Feature, January 20): I just read your article and I only wanted to comment on one thing: I was raised by Mr. Mackey’s motto: “Drugs are bad!” I was hit by a car at age 13 and afterward suffered […]

ANOTHER CASUALTY OF THE DRUG WAR RE “Homicide fight centers on drug trade” (Page A1, Jan. 12): During a raid of a suspect’s Dorchester home, one detective, spotting a child, says, “Let him sleep. Because he’ll never forget it.” You can bet that 4-year-old will never forget seeing his father […]

WAR ONLY ON CERTAIN DRUGS Re: “Losing the drug war,” by Charles Guerriero, Saturday Letters. Guerriero writes, “American drug policy toward marijuana yields nearly one million arrests annually; nine of 10 are for personal possession. We have nothing to show for all this madness, as marijuana is easier to obtain […]

PROHIBITION ENABLES DEADLY DRUG TRADE A Dec. 30 Columbian story “Safe streets” declared “For this story we’ve looked at just three serious crimes, the kind folks might worry about. We added assaults, burglaries and drug crimes for each area.” Excuse me? There weren’t enough rapes and murders so The Columbian […]