Speaking at a meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., in April, Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke urged Congress to hold hearings on the subject of legalization of the nation's drug laws. Schmoke argued that legalization would take the profit out of drug trafficking and noted that illegal drug trade helps to finance gang activity and related crimes. There are actually a growing number of people who are realizing that the drug laws are a failure. Many believe that the answer is legalization or decriminalization, but few of these people have been willing to suggest publicly such politically unpopular solutions. Law enforcement and legal officials were interviewed on this subject and their comments are discussed. It was conceded that decriminalization would not be the solution to the drug problem, but would perhaps relieve the clogged courts and ease corruption. Some fear that there is a steady deterioration of human rights under ever-expanding drug laws. One consensus seems to emerge: the drug laws should be changed.