War on Drugs

Re “AIDS Patient Pins Hopes on Pot Ruling,” Sept. 20:

I just finished reading about Peter McWilliams dying of AIDS and being refused access to medical marijuana. I find it abhorrent that this man, who is otherwise a law-abiding citizen, is being murdered by people carrying out the policies of our state and federal governments. Not only is the nation being deprived of valuable tax dollars that could be generated by the sale of medical marijuana, it is making criminals of law-abiding taxpayers, depriving them of their ability to make a living and contribute to their families and society. The laws forbidding the use of medical marijuana should be uniformly stricken from the state and federal lawbooks.

STEVEN J. KRESS

Oxnard

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Bravo for publishing Ethan Nadelmann’s comments on the drug war (Commentary, Sept. 19).

Seems to me the things that were legalized are just as or more harmful than the illegal substances. Common sense and a sense of moderation are the watchwords. I’ve heard it takes a long time to change a society, but our society is already changed underneath. It just needs to come out in the open.

MADI CREEKMORE

Lake Elsinore

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Nadelmann writes that he’s asked, “So you want to legalize drugs?” Wrong question. We want to decriminalize drugs, along with providing education and treatment.

DAVE ENGLISH

Rancho Palos Verdes