Pubdate: Thu, 14 Mar 2002
Source: Spokesman-Review (WA)
Copyright: 2002 The Spokesman-Review
Contact:  http://www.spokesmanreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/417
Author: Roxanne Coatney
Note: Title may be hawk supplied

DRUG BATTLE IS A WORTHY CAUSE

Re: "Anti-drug crusade brings suffering'' (Letters, March 3).

I don't know where Alan Randell gets his information.

Let's look at his statement "Those who do not use illegal drugs have become 
acclimatized to the cops' incessant hounding of those innocent souls who do.''

First of all, illegal drugs are exactly that _ illegal. Whether we agree 
with that fact or not, if you are using them you are breaking the law.

Second, most cops do not "hound'' incessantly, and those who feel they are 
being hounded probably have a guilty conscience.

Third, there are no "innocent souls'' using illegal drugs except maybe 
those who could use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Randell also wants us to put a human face on the suffering. How about the 
kids who were killed in their house about a month ago because someone 
showed up to buy drugs from someone else? What about the infants who are 
born addicted to drugs because their mother was one of those "innocent 
souls'' doing drugs while pregnant? What about the kids who come home from 
school to find their parent(s) stoned out of their minds and unable to care 
for the needs of the family? Or the children living in a home where meth is 
being made? What about all the money being spent on drugs that should be 
spent on honest to goodness necessities like rent, food, clothing, utilities?

I say keep up the good work to all the police officers who are putting 
their lives on the line while fighting the war against drugs.

Roxanne Coatney
Chewelah, WA
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart