I READ in your daily newspaper articles of people being arrested for illegal possession of controlled substances. Many of them are young, involving all genders. The number of offenders is fast increasing and it seems to me that our present drug policies to our society are no longer effective and the number of users remains at 19%, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The present policy is not conducive and it needs to be approached holistically and not emotionally like what Nancy Reagan did. Our drug policies towards society need to be done with adequate research and study. That is one of the reasons why our community members are not adhering to these ridiculous racist laws, which I called war on the lower class of America, not war on drugs.
The time has come to consider legalizing meth, tax it, and allow the freedom to exercise what to eat, drink, smoke by adult Americans. The state and government are confused on this issue just like the way they handled beer and marijuana. Today they said it is bad and the next day it is good.
Thank you for reading my letter.
THOMAS CAMACHO
Chalan Piao, Saipan
