Advancing the Battle Against Drugs in U.S.

The following brief quiz is offered in hope of enlightening Brad Gates, Michael K. Hayde (“We’ll Never Win the War by Retreating Toward Legalization” May 23), and others of their ilk as to the most practical solution to the drug problem.

1. Impoverished Third World peasants grow coca, poppies and marijuana because:

a. It is the most profitable capitalist opportunity they have.

b. The long walk or swim to America for a carwash job is too strenuous.

c. Money.

2. Drug dealers sell cocaine, heroin and marijuana because:

a. It is the most profitable capitalist enterprise in the world.

b. They are totally self-absorbed, materialistic scumbags with no regard for others.

c. Money.

d. All the above.

3. Neighborhood gangs and sane individuals that sell drugs violently protect their turf because:

a. It is the most profitable capitalist enterprise in America.

b. Of a desperate materialism they hope will fill a nihilistic emotional abyss caused by decades of indifference, neglect and hypocrisy.

c. Money.

d. All the above.

4. The reason politicians are unwilling to try the decriminalization approach to drugs is:

a. Fear of damage to what is left of their good, moral public image (read as “loss of votes”).

b. A vested economic interest in maintaining the status quo of pain and suffering.

c. A lack of understanding of how the money saved (related costs of law enforcement, courts, prisons and pushing tons of paper) could be used for education, treatment, renewing inner cities or a multitude of human needs.

d. Self-righteous moral posturing.

e. Self-righteous moral beliefs.

f. Stupidity.

g. All the above.

The mother of all drug wars offers us only a future of wasted resources and diminished freedoms. How much longer will voters allow this nonsense to continue?

JIM SILVER

Santa Ana