George,

AT LAST! Possibly reasonably intelligent human beings are realizing the drug use "cure" is far worse than the "disease."

When former senator Jim Webb publicized the information indicating the United States, with less than 5% of the world's population, was warehousing 25% of the world's incarcerated human beings it might not have been the beginning of the end, but,quoting Winston Churchill, "the end of the beginning."

The United States, probably more than any other nation, has had a major role in influencing the United Nations' ill-considered international "War On Drugs" paranoia.

If one were to read the motivation of the Harrison Act or Harry Anslinger's personal war on drugs, it quickly becomes abundantly clear much of the "war" was racially motivated and remains so today. Though far more white Americans were using crack cocaine, the laws requiring minimum sentences ended by imprisoning a disproportionate number of African Americans, mostly men.

The horrific slaughter of human beings among the Mexican drug cartels, the motivation of gangs to eliminate the competition in cities and environs over the easy money obtainable from illicit drugs, the corruption of law enforcement and, in some cases, the military, the huge expense of the useless "War On Drugs"--the cost to the taxpayers of warehousing mostly non-violent drug offenders;at an average cost of 35K per annum--over three times the typical cost of public education per student.

It all seems so obvious. There are far worse afflictions affecting greater numbers of Americans such as alcohol abuse, smoking and an inadequate health care system leading millions to a potentially early death. All go without anything near the rabid fear and expense of fighting a never-ending, futile, losing "War On Drugs"

The solutions to drug use and abuse are readily available. We just need the will and the common sense desire to go about ending this pariah of our civilization, namely restoring the process of treatment, sensible education, reducing the "forbidden fruit" aspect, and turning wasted lives to respected productive human beings. Something that criminalizing has not done, except to make worse.

JFK said it best, "I can assure you that every degree of mind and spirit that I possess will be devoted ... The supreme reality of our time is our indivisibility as children of God and [with] ... His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own".

Harry Tenney (Electronic mail, December 1, 2013)