Pubdate: Thu, 27 Sep 2001
Source: Bangor Daily News (ME)
Copyright: 2001 Bangor Daily News Inc.
Contact:  http://www.bangornews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/40
Author: Anthony Citrano

REJECT JOHN WALTERS

Soon, the U.S. Senate will consider the confirmation of John Walters to be 
the next United States drug czar. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe 
should vote against confirming him. Public sentiment is moving rapidly 
toward the less expensive and more effective approach of objective 
information and treatment for abusers, and away from the deathly and 
destructive interdiction and imprisonment ("war") approach.

Walters still believes we can arrest, spend, search and seize our way out 
of the drug problem. Would anyone seriously suggest that jailing an 
alcoholic will help his problem? Jailing those who abuse substances teaches 
them how to be great criminals - it doesn't teach them how to break a 
destructive habit.

Yet, Walters favors prison instead of treatment for nonviolent substance 
abusers and ignores the unfairness inherent in the violent and costly war 
approach.

John Walters represents everything that is wrong about the drug war, and I 
hope our senators reject him.

Anthony Citrano

Portland
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