Pubdate: Fri,  5 Jul 2002
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 2002 Austin American-Statesman
Contact:  http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/32
Author: Noelle Davis

FAILED DRUG POLICY

Thanks for publishing William Moyers' June 28 column, "President's past 
should shape his policies." I agree with Moyers' position that, because of 
his past, President Bush is the ideal leader to exercise his compassionate 
conservatism by reprioritizing spending in the war on drugs. Our 
predominantly punitive national drug policy strategy has been propagating 
the vision of a drug-free America for almost 20 years now. Let's be honest; 
America will never be drug-free. This country delights in drug taking.

The glamorous government-sanctioned drugs, alcohol and tobacco, claim many 
more lives each year than all illegal drugs combined. It is time for a new 
science-based drug strategy that works to reduce the potential harm 
associated with all drugs. Spending billions of dollars a year to 
"rehabilitate" people in jails where drugs are still readily available is 
an insult to justice. Just saying no just doesn't cut it.

Noelle Davis
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