Letter: War on Drugs Should Be Abandoned
J. Thomas Dilberger
August 16, 2008
Asbury Park Press
In response to the July 28 article "More, cheaper heroin seen in Shore area," the ongoing attempt to stem the flow of drugs is absurd.
Unfortunately, people want to use drugs, and billions of tax dollars have been flushed down the toilet trying to stop the illicit drug trade. We should stop the charade and either legalize drug use or stop enforcement of the unenforceable drug laws.
The government shouldn't be in the business of changing behavior. If people want to use heroin, or any other drugs for that matter, they should be allowed. It will have no effect on the number of deaths overall. Drug use is the same as drinking or any other vice: A certain number of unfortunate people will overdose and die, others will use drugs and destroy their lives, and the majority of people will try drugs, discontinue using them and live productive lives.
To continue wasting the resources of our police and judicial system on this comedy of arrest, trial and incarceration does the taxpayers of New Jersey no good.
Drop the anti-drug programs, evict all nonviolent drug offenders from prison and discontinue all cooperation with federal anti-drug authorities.
I don't use drugs, nor do I advocate drug use. My ideas represent the only reasonable solution to the problem and are long overdue.
J. Thomas Dilberger, Belmar |