Pubdate: Sat, 10 May 2003 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n623/a04.html DRUG POLICY SHOULD FOCUS ON REDUCING DEATH AND DISEASE If draconian penalties served to deter drug use, the U.S. would be "drug-free" instead of the world's largest jailer (Who's the crook? What's the crime?, Ian Mulgrew, April 29). Perhaps the most telling evidence of drug war failure is the fact that lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the U.S. than in any European country, many of which have decriminalized pot. Drug policy should focus not on incarcerating users of politically incorrect drugs, but rather on reducing the death, disease, crime and suffering associated with both abuse and prohibition. The drug war fuels organized crime and violence, which is then used to justify increased drug war spending. Eliminating the stigma and penalties associated with illicit drug use would facilitate rehabilitation and save lives. I think it's safe to say that the turnout at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings would be rather low if alcoholism were a crime pursued with zero tolerance zeal. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse. Robert Sharpe Program Officer Drug Policy Alliance Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex