Pubdate: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 Source: Standard-Times (MA) Copyright: 1999 The Standard-Times Contact: 25 Elm Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 Website: http://www.s-t.com/ Forum: http://www.s-t.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?actionintro Author: Stephen Heath Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n756.a06.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n772.a01.html DROP, DON'T EXPAND, FAILED DRUG APPROACHES Charles Levendosky ("Forfeiture laws grate on Constitution," July 23) smartly brings our attention to one of the most notable failed policies of our current "War on Drugs," and that is the forfeiture laws. He would do well to also review the many other failed approaches that have been forced on our populace in the past three decades in the quest for a "drug free" society. Some drugs, that is. And then perhaps he might join those who would discourage New Bedford's attempts to attract more federal monies into the area in an effort to solve the problems associated with the illegal drug trade. I would think that the citizens of New Bedford are creative enough and interested enough in their city's welfare to come up with working solutions that do not require the citizens to prostitute themselves for the sake of dollars which lead to an ever increasing federal presence in New Bedford. STEPHEN HEATH, Largo FL - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder