Fighting the Drug War

I’d like to suggest to our President-elect George Bush that he take the profit out of illegal drugs by setting up a federally funded program supplying free drugs to addicts. The old methadone program could be renewed and expanded to include morphine, cocaine and marijuana.

The program could include counseling, job training and voluntary encouragement groups similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. Addicted people might continue their addictions at public expense, but we could rid our country of the international network of crime, corruption and death connected with running illegal drugs.

Giving addicts their “fix” free will dry up the illegal drug market and do away with the massive burden of smugglers, pushers, rock houses, gangs, crime, violence and death. I’m old enough to remember how the legalization of alcoholic beverages closed down the era we called Prohibition and got rid of smugglers, smuggling, speak-easies, etc. It was as if a wise magician had waved his magic wand: President Franklin D. Roosevelt made it happen in one fell swoop!

You can work your magic, President Bush. You have the power to end this national disgrace which creates millionaires who are rewarded by hordes of drug-dependent, debilitated people.

MILTON LEVIN

North Hollywood