Pubdate: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) Copyright: 2003 Richmond Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.timesdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/365 Author: Fred Carreras Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n900/a04.html LEGALIZATION SUPPORTERS MISS THE POINT Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Regional Drug-Free Alliance, of which I am president, is delighted that you have chosen Drug Enforcement Administration agent Joe Dombroski as one of your Commentary columnists. No one could speak more credibly and effectively on substance abuse than Dombroski. The alliance struggles constantly with our concern over the failure of our region to grasp the seriousness of community problems created by use of illegal drugs. Dombroski, we understand, will continue to submit pieces for Commentary this year. This is a valuable community service. Predictably, however, as has been the case so far, and surely will continue to be, Lennice Werth and Roy Scherer, the longtime standard-bearers for legalizing drugs, will respond to every column. They would indicate that they are not for "legalizing" but for "regulation," which, of course, means legalizing. In her response to Dombroski's most recent column, Ms. Werth suggested that all the problems of drugs would go away - enforcement, high costs (of drugs and enforcement), lack of public safety, etc. - if people could be allowed to "buy products they desire." She failed to mention one thing that would not go away - addiction and the heartbreak, death, family mayhem, and workplace disruption that are results of drug addiction. This is not "wanting" drugs but craving drugs because of addiction. Fred Carreras - --- MAP posted-by: Josh