War on Drugs has failed
The Observer-Reporter’s Jan. 25 editorial, “More than lip service needed in heroin fight,” recalls the perplexing, underfunded, long-standing War on Drugs waged by the federal government.
Thirty years ago, a popular drug was marijuana. In its place today, we have heroin. In the 1980s, First Lady Nancy Reagan conjured up the phrase “Just say no.” Being short and direct and costing nothing, the phrase appealed so much to conservatives that, in short order, it was adopted as the battle cry for the War on Drugs. What was the result? Use of marijuana is now being legalized in parts of the country.
Let’s face it. The War on Drugs, like Prohibition and the Vietnam War, has been a hopeless endeavor. We should simply legalize mind-altering substances. Such actions would be easy, quick and, above all, cost no money. After all, are we not taxed enough already?
Paul Lagojda
Cumberland Township