Pubdate: Wed, 01 May 2002
Source: Delta Democrat Times (MS)
Copyright: 2002 Delta Democrat Times
Contact:  http://www.ddtonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2123
Author: Richard W. Jones

WAR ON DRUGS IS ABYSMAL FAILURE

Editor:

In Donald Adderton's recent column "Rising To The Challenge Of Drugs, Gangs 
Takes Guts" he writes "... There has been a concerted government response 
... to the illegal drug invasion with varying degrees of success ..."

The varying degrees of success have been: unsuccess, failure and 
counterproductive disaster.

We have been waging a vast and outrageously expensive war against drug 
users for over forty years and drugs are cheaper, purer, more varied and 
more available now than at any time in human history.

We need to look for alternative solutions because what we are doing is not 
working and more of the same won't help.

Some European countries are generating measurable success by medicalizing 
the use of hard drugs (letting doctors rather than police help drug 
addicts) and by regulating rather than criminalizing marijuana.

Making cannabis available to adults takes it out of the hands of street 
dealers who will also sell hard drugs to anyone, including children. These 
measures have reduced the overall number of drug abusers as well as the 
associated damage, death and crime.

Outrage at the destruction caused by drug abuse is warranted, but it must 
be coupled with practical steps to reduce the harm caused by both drugs and 
the drug war.

Richard W. Jones, Jackson
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager