TREATMENT FOR ADDICTS BENEFICIAL

To The Editor:

For months now, the news media has kept Oklahomans informed of the budget
shortfalls. I thank state Rep. Fred Morgan ("Point of View," Dec. 15) for
his clarification of the foremost contributor to this shortfall --
Oklahoma's policy toward the disease of alcohol and drug addiction. Rather
than deal with the "cause of the problem," Morgan promotes building new
prisons and making Oklahoma taxpayers pay for it. Arizona Gov. Dirk
Kempthorne said it best: "I have to address drug policy issues because if I
don't, the budget will be eaten up by incarceration costs, and I won't be
able to fund my other priorities such as schools and health care."

Every dollar spent on treatment will save Oklahoma taxpayers roughly $7 in
related taxes. Thousands of productive Oklahomans recovering from alcohol
and drug addiction are now paying taxes because they went to treatment, not
prison.

I seriously question Morgan's expertise on "prudent policy." As a
recovering alcoholic and former legislator, I consider myself well-informed
on the subject. I'd rather see "my valuable tax dollars" used in a
proactive manner.

Let's do something about the cause of people going to prison and free up
millions of dollars for education and health care. Jim Russell, Norman
Russell is founder of Oklahoma Faces & Voices of Recovery, which seeks to
increase treatment options for alcohol and drug addictions.