Billionaire New York developer Donald Trump says that legalizing drugs is the only way to win the war against what he considers one of America`s most serious problems.

Trump blamed the country`s drug problems on politicians who ''don`t have any guts'' and enforcement efforts that are ''a joke.'' ''We`re losing badly the war on drugs,'' Trump told 700 people at a luncheon Friday. ''You have to legalize drugs to win that war. You have to take the profit away from these drug czars.''

Trump said tax revenues from a legalized drug trade could be spent to educate the public on the dangers of drug use.

In an interview, Trump said he believed it was an appropriate time to broach his ideas ''because South Florida has such a huge problem with drugs.''