Pubdate: Wed, 29 Jul 1998
Date: 07/29/1998
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Author: Lynn Carol
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98.n621.a10.html

Re: "America's drug warrior -- McCaffrey commits truth during European
tour," (Editorial, July 24).

Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey is a "stand-up guy" only in the many comic
gaffes he committed in relation to his European "fact-finding tour":

He pronounced the Netherlands drug policy an "unmitigated disaster"
before he had even set foot in the country, much less been presented
with evidence of their many successes.

He proclaimed the Netherlands a much more violent country than the
United States, citing an erroneous murder rate as "proof." "That's
drugs" he said.

When it was pointed out that the murder rate in the United States is
actually 4.5 times higher than in the Netherlands, he gave no
consideration to their nonviolent, nonpunitive, police managed
soft-drug policy or medically managed hard-drug policy as positive
factors. Rather he credited everything from the quality of public
education to health care coverage. Drug policy couldn't possibly be a
factor for our country being more violent.

In the wake of McCaffrey's trip, the Dutch press pronounced U.S. drug
policy an "unmitigated disaster." And to our embarrassment, our drug
czar had given them ample evidence.

LYNN CAROL
San Diego