It's time to legalize marijuanaThe war on drugs has failed. The government has spent billions of dollars to fight drug use to no avail. Statistics reported in the Boston Globe indicate that overall drug use among children ages twelve to seventeen actually increased from 5.7 percent in 1993 to 9 percent in 1999 (Health Central). Other statistics reveal areas of lower usage; however, the same statistics do not show the vast number of addicted people who abuse methamphetamines or popular drugs like ecstasy. Ending drug use is probably impossible. So why are we spending billions of dollars on a lost cause? Legalizing drugs would reduce huge amounts of wasted money, money that could be spent on addiction treatment. Although many people believe that legalizing drugs would increase drug use, marijuana should be legalized because it will reduce the enormous amounts of money spent on law enforcement, increase our country's revenue, and provide some relief from chronic pain caused by diseases such as multiple sclerosis and others. .Making drugs legal will reduce vast amounts of money spent on law enforcement each year. The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) estimates that marijuana users cost taxpayers more than $7 billion per year (MPP). Year after year, money is wasted trying to stem the flow of illegal drugs into our country. When a drug lord is captured, two show up from somewhere else to take his place. For every drug crackdown, four more come to the United States. For example, in his book Intoxication, Ronald K. Siegel talks about the first significant international anti-drug campaign: Operation Intercept, the first major attack on marijuana use. This operation captured 493 drug traffickers at the Mexican border. Very few drugs have been confiscated, and there has been no change in marijuana use in the United States (280). Today, billions of dollars are spent every year to fight drug use, but no real, concrete victories are seen. Drugs are still bought, sold and used every day. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that the number of first-time marijuana users in 1998 was 2.3 million. This number has increased significantly from 1.4 million in 1989 (DEA). This data alone shows that the money spent on law enforcement has had no effect. President Ronald Reagan said it best: "Despite continued expressions of resolve, America's war on drugs appears nowhere near success"..