The U.S. War on Drugs

War is war! Only this time the foreign invader is illicit drugs, more detrimental to our society than any other foreign power in our history because of its insidious nature. I cannot believe Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger’s naivete regarding the use of military personnel in this matter.

We need all of our forces --armed as well as civilian--to win. Again we are fighting for the very life of this nation. We cannot let our people become slaves to organized crime, those responsible for the importation of drugs and drugs made in the United States, nor should this tragedy become temporarily popular for glamorous election rhetoric.

Because this is a lifelong addictive disease, individual lives and families are systematically and pathetically being destroyed by the thousands daily. We are a suffering nation. Chemical addiction is the worst plague this nation has ever faced. We must fight back! There is no option.

God forbid that we should become so shortsighted as to say the problem is “leveling off.” Until we have adequate rehabilitation facilities for all those who are chemically dependent, until our courts consider suppliers murderers, and until our borders are fought with the expertise and manpower of our armed services, we cannot rest.

Reach out, Secretary Weinberger, visit a rehabilitation center and hear the addicts’ stories, listen to the heartaches of mothers and families. They are the cries of our nation!

MARGARET TERRY

Palm Springs