Pubdate: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 Source: Chapel Hill News (NC) Copyright: 2005 Chapel Hill News Contact: http://www.chapelhillnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1081 Author: Noreen Ordronneau U.S. DRUG POLICY IS NOT WORKING The United States has been fighting the war on drugs for decades. The people of this country and the U.S. Congress should be asking an important question before appropriating more money for the so-called War on Drugs. Twenty-five years and $25 billion later, are we closer to solving the key problem, which is reducing drug abuse and availability in the United States? The United States' international drug-control policy is designed to reduce or eliminate the supply of illicit drugs in this country. However, the price of cocaine and heroin are at a new all-time low in spite of intensive efforts to eradicate shipments. According to a recent report by the Washington Office on Latin America, "The supply reduction model does not work, and second, this model has sparked conflict, fueled human rights violations, and undermined democracy in countries where drugs are produced and trafficked." They go on to say that we need a new drug-control policy that gets at the roots of the drug problem by channeling more resources to treatment and education in the United States and to economic development in Latin America while continuing to go after criminal organizations that engage in larger-scale trafficking of drugs and arms. In order to develop drug policies that are more effective, we must make an honest assessment of whether we are moving closer to our goals - reducing drug abuse in the United States. Serious evaluation of present policies and open-minded debate on drug-control alternatives are sorely needed if we hope to make any progress. A more effective and more humane policy should be based on the recognition that, while controlling illicit drug abuse is a legitimate and important goal, drugs will be produced as long as there is demand for them. Noreen Ordronneau Carrboro - --- MAP posted-by: Beth