Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 Source: News & Advance, The (Lynchburg, VA) Copyright: 2006 Media General Contact: http://www.newsadvance.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2087 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n757/a01.html Author: Robert Sharpe DRUG WAR HAS NO EASY ANSWER Regarding your editorial on June 9, prosecuting accidental drug overdoses as felony murders reaffirms an already bad precedent. Illegal drug users are reluctant to seek medical attention in the event of an overdose for fear of being charged with a crime. Attempting to save the life of a friend could result in a murder charge. Overzealous drug enforcement results in easily preventable deaths. Rehabilitation also is confounded. I think it's safe to say that turnout at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings would be rather low if alcoholism were a crime pursued with zero tolerance zeal. Eliminating the penalties associated with illicit drug abuse would encourage the type of honest discussion necessary to facilitate rehabilitation and save lives. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse. ROBERT SHARPE Policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake