Pubdate: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) Copyright: 2002 Chattanooga Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.timesfreepress.com/index.html Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992 DEFENDING THE WAR ON DRUGS The recent breaking up of a major drug ring in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia shows again the importance of America's war on illegal drugs. Dozens of officers from Hamilton, Catoosa and Walker counties aided in the operation, and seven people have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the methamphetamine ring. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are believed to have changed hands. Those who favor abandoning the drug war are fond of saying that busts such as this one highlight the immensity of America's drug problem and prove that it is hopeless. What they will not acknowledge is that if law enforcement efforts to stem the traffic of illegal drugs ended tomorrow, drug-related crime would explode unimaginably. Part of the problem in the drug war is that it has a built-in public relations problem: It's easy for critics to point to jails crowded with people who sell or abuse drugs. But it's impossible to say how many people don't get involved with drugs in the first place because they hear about the legal and health consequences. Who knows the number of people teetering on the edge of becoming users or sellers who will be dissuaded when they hear of this latest, high-profile bust? Battling illegal drugs is admittedly a complex task. It involves cutting off drugs at the source -- places like South America, Mexico, Asia and, yes, American marijuana fields and methamphetamine labs. But it also means dealing with the demand side of the equation. If Americans didn't want drugs, suppliers would go out of business. Part of making at least some Americans not want to use or sell drugs is making sure they know the risks involved. The war on drugs is crucial in seeking to accomplish that goal. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens