From: Wiley P. Long, III
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 7:48 PM
To: letters@denverpost.com

Subject: Superbowl Drug War Ads

     During the Super Bowl, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) ran two ads that equated purchasing illegal drugs to supporting terrorism. Sadly, the inflated profits from illegal drugs do fund civil wars, terrorism, and outlaw regimes worldwide, yet the problem is prohibition itself, and not the use of those drugs.

     In the 1920's, domestic terrorism was the result of the prohibition on alcohol, one of the world's most popular drugs. Yet on Sunday, Budweiser spent millions of dollars promoting their product. Clearly, the alcohol itself was not at fault, nor is the football fan who enjoys a cold beer. Criminalizing a product that people want causes the price (and profit) to increase dramatically, and in turn, draws in the criminal element that is willing to fight and kill to protect market share. The drug producers and sellers profit as a result of prohibition, and would be the last ones to support the legalization of these substances.

     Humans have sought altered states of consciousness, and the drugs that induce those states, for untold centuries, and will continue to do so. Instead of painting drug use as unpatriotic, the U.S. government should recognize that the freedom to control one's own consciousness is a fundamental human right. By continuing the failed War on (some) Drugs, the ONDCP does just what they accuse the pot smoker or heroin addict of doing: they financially support terrorism.

Sincerely,

Wiley Long III