‘We Can’t Win a Drug War’

President Reagan is fooling himself with his newly proclaimed “war against drugs” or whatever he calls it. We as a race have always embraced substances altering consciousness. It is a part of our character, whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, etc. Spending millions of dollars on eradicating the supply of some of these substances is not going to alter this trait of ours.

A much more cost-effective solution for us is to recognize that drugs that alter consciousness and our desire for them are facts that we cannot change. Then we could legalize these substances and regulate the quality, thus reducing the risk of Len Bias-Don Rogers type accidents.

From the taxes levied on these substances we could teach awareness, responsibility, and choice to our children in regard to drugs. Our present attitude toward consciousness-altering substances is one that makes these drugs and their use highly illegal, and makes us believe we can stamp out our desire for them if we stamp out the supply. This approach has yet to reduce irresponsible drug use. What it does do is create an illicit mystique around drugs, which makes a rambunctious young person all the more determined to try them.

MARK VAN LEEUWEN

Canyon Country