Misha Glenny shows in exquisite detail ("Drugs and terror: Britain's role", 9 October) why the war on drugs is unwinnable - contrary to the UN's drug strategy slogan: "A drug-free world, we can do it!"

The solution, of course, is to abolish the global prohibition on drugs and replace it with an effective system of multi-state legal regulation. The main obstacle is a US administration hell-bent on using the war on drugs as cover for its adventurism abroad and for maintaining its race war at home. The UK can help rebuild Colombia and Afghanistan, rather than buddy up to our transatlantic partners in contributing to Afghan and Colombian misery.

Danny Kushlick
Transform Drug Policy Foundation
Bristol