Pubdate: Sat, 03 Jan 1998
Date: 03/01/1998
Source: The Des Moines Register Iowa
Author: Deborah Fink

I'm glad that Ron Corbett's mother kicked her crack-cocaine habit 
and that her son loves and forgives her.  I'm glad, too, that she 
didn't end up in prison for possession or distribution of drugs.

As Corbett says, what happened to his mother could happen to anyone. 
Why, then, does he draw the hard line between addicts and those who 
prey on them? Addicts deserve treatment; preyers deserve punishment.

There is absolutely no evidence that putting people in prison removes 
dangerous drugs from our homes and streets.  We need to try something
else, and preferably something that will help us all to live together
and not to scapegoat any segment of our society.

Deborah Fink
Ames, Iowa