Pubdate: Mon, 04 Sep 2000
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2000 St. Petersburg Times
Contact:  http://www.sptimes.com/
Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Interact.html
Author: Anne Sweazey, St. Petersburg
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1248/a05.htm

OUR DRUG POLICY IS IN NEED OF SERIOUS REFORM

Finally, an elected official who has the courage to look at alternatives to
the way we are waging -- and losing -- the drug war. (Just say no to the
drug war, Matthew Miller, Aug. 25. New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson candidly
points out that our national policy on drugs is a disaster.

Our politicians insist that they are "tough on crime," and yet they seem to
be too timid to engage in a frank and realistic discussion about drugs.
Meanwhile, our prisons are crammed with non-violent offenders, HIV continues
to be spread by dirty needles and the number of hard-core addicts stays the
same.

Our national policy on drugs is a subject that is essentially taboo for our
politicians. Privately, many of our elected officials think we should at
least consider such measures as decriminalizing marijuana and other
harm-reduction strategies, but they fear repercussions in their approval
ratings for exploring these issues in the public arena.

Bravo to Gov. Johnson for telling us there is something wrong with this
picture. Can't we all step back, refrain from knee-jerk reactions and
encourage our politicians to seek expert advice and open up this subject for
review and sensible reform?
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MAP posted-by: Don Beck