Pubdate: Fri, 08 Jul 2011 Source: Wall Street Journal (US) Copyright: 2011 Ralph Givens Contact: http://www.wsj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487 Author: Ralph Givens Note: First of 4 letters in response to http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n431/a02.html THE U.S. NEEDS A DRUG POLICY THAT WORKS MUCH BETTER Joseph A. Califano Jr. and William J. Bennett are seriously mistaken when they suggest that ending America's long-failed drug crusade will lead to a "Needle Park" situation in the U.S. ("Do We Really Want a 'Needle Park' on American Soil?," op-ed, July 1) After a few missteps, the Swiss solved many of their drug troubles by creating a successful policy of enforcement, treatment, harm reduction and prevention, with a heroin maintenance program that supplies addicts with cheap, pharmaceutical-grade heroin, methadone and other things they need. There is no longer a Needle Park in Switzerland. Messrs. Califano and Bennett neglect to mention that since beginning the heroin maintenance program the Swiss have seen a great reduction in addict-caused crime in Switzerland, which is something America's drug warriors do not want to talk about. Demand for outlaw drug dealers in Switzerland has declined because no one buys bootleg drugs when a source of cheap, guaranteed pure, legal drugs is available. Since the heroin maintenance program began in the early 1990s the Swiss have virtually eliminated overdose deaths for those in the program, and injection-transmitted diseases (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, etc.) have been greatly reduced. By reducing addict-caused crime, lowering overdoses and stopping transmission of needle-related diseases, the Swiss drug policy has resulted in a great decrease in heroin addiction's damage to society. In addition to these concrete benefits, the Swiss are saving large amounts of money in lower policing, incarceration and health-care expenses. The Swiss are so pleased with the results of their heroin maintenance program that they endorsed the national drug policy with a vote of more than 68% in a national referendum in November 2008. The facts show that Messrs. Califano and Bennett are cheerleaders for a counterproductive drug policy that has filled our prisons with "victimless criminals" while doing nothing to reduce drug addiction. Ralph Givens Daly City, Calif. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D