Pubdate: Wed, 07 Aug 2013
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2013 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Mark Monson

LESS WAR, MORE TREATMENT IS SMART

It makes sense to put more resources into drug rehabilitation and 
education and less into interdiction.

Somehow John P. Walters makes the wrong connection between cocaine 
production and cocaine overdoses and deaths ("Obama Signals Retreat 
in the War on Drugs," op-ed, July 29). He criticizes the Obama 
administration for cutting money for international drug control and 
increasing funding for education and treatment. The drop in overdoses 
is due to the continuing drop in cocaine use. If it was caused by a 
shortage due to production cuts, there would be an increase in price. 
This has not happened. Why the decrease in use? I would guess the 
rapid increase in on-the-job drug testing has had the biggest effect.

The administration's plan to expand treatment and education will 
lower demand, production, street prices and overdoses. The waiting 
lists for treatment are long. Let's move the money from the supply 
end, which we never have been able to control, to the demand end. 
It's both the smart and humanitarian thing to do.

Mark Monson

Coumbiaville, Mich
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom