>If we want to lower the rate of murder and crime in this country, a good first step would be to end the war of drugs. By any measure (other than providing work for drug dealers and narcotics agents) this drug war is a total failure.

Perhaps changing this from a legal or law enforcement issue into a medical issue would help. The root of the issue is that millions of North Americans are using crack and heroin regularily. The criminals are just catering to a need.