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After 40 years, the United States' war on drugs has cost $1 trillion and hundreds of thousands of lives, and for what? Drug use is rampant and violence even more brutal and widespread

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/13/ap-impact-years-trillion-war-drugs-failed-meet-goals/#ixzz1Lj7q5tzI

Prohibition created organized crime. The war on drugs has created the gangbangers and the drug lords. We have lost the war! That one trillion dollars does not include the expense of the fools who OD and are treated in the ER. It does not include the cost of treating AIDS patients, or the victims of drive by shootings. I am not a libertarian, but I am a pragmatist, and I am convinced that legal drugs will save lives and a lot of tax dollars, while it puts the drug lords out of business, and takes the profit from the gangs, thus reducing their numbers and impact on America.

In 2010 the drug war costs Americans $500.00 per second. We could not afford that then and we can afford it even less now. The only answer is to let the users pay their own way by taxing the drugs they consume. This would require creating an ad hoc tax fund for drug rehab and related expenses. No money from this fund to be taken for general revenue, nor any from general revenue for caring for those who choose to abuse themselves.

We will never, ever, stop drug abuse, therefore the only rational option is drug control. This method would eliminate drug lords, minimize gang related problems, reduce gangs and take the burden of all drug related expenses off of the back of the American taxpayers and put it onto the people that choose such a life style.

The federal government could license three drug companies to take care of business and guarantee that drugs hitting the street are "Clean," thus eliminating many visits to the ER. The gangbanger peddling his product on the corner buys in terms of ounces or pounds. Drug companies would deal in tons thus selling a safer product at a price that none could compete with.

For this to be truly effective one other issue must be addressed. Enforcement of our laws in regard to drug abusers. Far too many liberal lawyers talk a bleeding heart jury into letting a criminal walk because the poor man was on drugs when he robbed the corner store. Too bad! Commit a crime with drugs in your system. Dude, you have a guaranteed trip to the nearest prison.