Snitches in Baltimore

I read this article on witnesses being harassed and murdered in The Atlantic yesterday, and was absolutely infuriated. Everyone knows The Wire is a realistic show, but for some reason it was only after reading this article that it hit home for me how horrible that is. Is there any vaguely practical path to a sane drug policy in this country? Please let me know if one exists, as I'm eager to support it. Also, email me if you're not an Atlantic subscriber, and I'll email you access to the article.