Marijuana Policy Project

I'm writing about Ervin Dargan's thoughtful letter, "Let States Decide on Medical Cannabis" [Xpress, July 16]. Marijuana is the linchpin of our so-called war on drugs. Remove marijuana from the equation and the whole drug war will collapse.

The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy. Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory in the drug war would mean that the drug-war industry and bureaucracy are out of business.

There are basically two types of people who support the so-called war on drugs: those who make their livelihood from it--including politicians and bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the drug cartels ( Al Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on his payroll ); and suckers.

Suckers include taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of the drug-war industry and bureaucracy; people who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but think that their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy; people who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go away; people who think that drug prohibition somehow protects children; people who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs somehow protects children and our society.

Suckers even think that they live in a free country — although the United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.