[The following LTE was printed with its text wrapped around a 4x4 inch
pencil sketch of a cannabis leaf which I assume the author provided.]

Legalize drugs for a healthier society

One danger is never mentioned in discussing the drug problem corruption.
The immense amount of money in the drug trade has already corrupted the
police force in Mexican and the police and legal system in Colombia, to
mention only two countries.

The laundering of drug money has also corrupted banks and businesses. The
temptation offered illpaid police, customs officers, and other
functionaries has proved to the irresistible.

Corruption has ruined empires. The French, Russian and Mexican revolutions
resulted from outrage against corruption. Martin Luther was outraged by
corruption in the Vatican; without it, the Reformation would probably not
have occurred. Many current troubles in Russia are reported to stem from
corruption also.

In the United States during prohibition, corruption was rampant, and
bootleggers flourished. Legalizing liquor ended it and put the bootleggers
out of business.

The war on drugs has been a total failure drugs are available even in
prisons. The root of the corruption they cause is their high price, caused
by the efforts to forbid them. The proper step is the same one taken
against alcohol make them legal. The low prices would then put
corrupters out of business.

Teenagers use drugs because they are illegal, and using them is a rite of
passage. If drugs were legal, teenagers would not be interested.

N.W. Emmott
Sidney