Pubdate: Mon, 22 Nov 1999
Date: 11/22/1999
Source: Nation, The (US)
Author: Robert Cogswell
Related: All the special issue articles are linked at:

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99/n963/a03.html

Michael Massing makes no mention of drug use as distinguished from
drug abuse. By far, the majority of people of my generation who use
illegal drugs for recreation have not surrendered their involvement in
the rest of their lives (family, work, other forms of recreation,
etc.), But what has me riled up is Massing's phrase "tough on abuse."
Abuse is already tough on the abuser, so any program that purports to
be tough on abuse or abusers is likely to fail. In the toughness
model, the abuser avoids contact with his persecutor and abuses in
private or with other abusers.

It is vitally important to find a workable model for making these
illegal substances available to those who want them and are old enough
to make choices (legally). Any who indulge to the extent of abuse will
thus be close to a situation where they can seek assistance if they
need it.

Robert Cogswell
Sausalito, Calif.