Pubdate: [Mon, 09 Sep 1996]
Source: Herald, Everett (WA)
Author: Michael F. Marion

A letter recently published in The Herald chastised the Clinton
administration for focusing efforts more on tobacco companies than on
illegal drugs. She quoted some percentages of increase in drug use by your.
The numbers certainly appear alarming, especially to parents such as
myself. Any thinking adult is against youth taking drugs, legal or illegal.
I share her concern. However, is the Clinton administration focusing on the
wrong idea? Let us take a look at some additional statistics.

When we take a look at approximate yearly death rates for widely used drugs
we find the following:

Premature deaths for Tobacco, 400,000;

Alcohol 150,000;

Legal Drugs,14,000;

Caffeine, 1,000;

Aspirin, 180;

Theopoline (asthma medication), 50;

all illicit drugs (except marijuana), 5,200;

Marijuana, 0.

(Figures are for 1988 from the federal government's Bureau of Mortality
Studies and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.)

The mortality rate for tobacco users is astounding when compared to illegal
drugs! The Clinton administration is far more realistic toward a drug
policy -- tobacco is a drug too -- than Republican detractors (and
Democratic Rep. Rangel). They are focusing where the most pressing problem
really is, on tobacco.

The letter writer wants to "get tough" with such failed schemes as
mandatory minimums. These kind of policies are merely knee jerk reactions
to a much more complicated issue. Tougher laws make drugs more expensive,
making drug selling more lucrative, with the end result being even more
drugs available on the streets. It is time people get educated as to what
is really going on. Stop listening to politicians from both parties who
spout feel good (read: get me elected) rhetoric. The fact is that drug use
fluctuates over time regardless of drug laws. Parental involvement is the
first line of defense, not big government.

For anyone who is truly interested in the whole picture, there is much more
information and data available. A good place to look would be at
http://www.druglibrary. org. Another resource is a booklet called "Compare
Legal Drugs with Illegal Drugs" by Bob Owen, P.O. Box 1217, Olympia, WA
98507 ($4.50 ea).

Michael F. Marion
Marysville, WA