Pubdate: Sat, 13 May 2000 Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) Copyright: 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Contact: http://www.postnet.com/postnet/stories.nsf/Home Forum: http://www.postnet.com/postnet/config.nsf/forums Author: Alice Betz DRUG LAWS AREN'T TOUGH ENOUGH YET Vice President Al Gore proposes a program where prisoners are tested two times a week for drugs, but there are more effective alternatives. U.S. Customs uses drug-sniffing dogs and has great success. Why not our prisons? Put a large sign at each entrance stating "Drug-sniffing dogs inside." This gives each employee and visitor the option of not entering. Using the drug-sniffing dogs, inspect the prison thoroughly for drugs several times a week. Set up mandatory drug programs in our prisons. Give us laws that support the police, that prohibit drug dealers from getting out on bond so they can set up a new drug house. Give us a law that sets a required minimum number of years a judge must give the drug dealer, no exceptions. Give us a law that guarantees that every drug dealer picked up the third time for drug dealing becomes a lifetime prisoner. Alice Betz, St. Louis - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck