Pubdate: Sat, 4 Sept 1999 Source: Star-Ledger (NJ) Copyright: 1999 Star-Ledger Contact: 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, N.J., 07102-1200 Website: http://www.nj.com/starledger/ Forum: http://forums.nj.com/ Author: Hugh Sherry A FUTILE WAR To the editor: Despite his apparent drug use, I may support Gov. George W. Bush for president. Then again, maybe not. My decision will depend completely on his views about major domestic and foreign policy issues. Nevertheless, I ponder the feelings of thousands of nonviolent Texas prisoners punished by harsh Lone Star laws against even recreational drug use. Bush may be as guilty as they are, but he sits in the governor's mansion and, we are told, supports even harsher drug penalties. If any good comes out of the excessive publicity surrounding this issue, it may be the realization that the war on drugs is an exercise in wastefulness and futility - especially when one of the "enemy" may be our next president. HUGH SHERRY Stanhope - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto