OUR DRUG PROBLEM IS BOTH A MEDICAL AND CRIMINAL ONE.

Re: Changing attitudes on the drug war, by Neal Peirce, April 2.

Neal Peirce obviously does not get it when it comes to understanding the
dangers of mind-altering and addictive drugs. His statement that "...
border fortifications, criminal chases and prosecutions have negligible
impact on drug addiction... " demonstrates his ignorance about the issue.

We all know that our world is inundated with illegal drugs that are
contributing to the spread of diseases, crime and moral decay. Can you
imagine how much worse it would be if we did not take steps to fortify our
borders and vigorously prosecute the drug dealers and traffickers? In just
one sweep by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Operation Conquistador),
2,331 suspected narcotics traffickers were arrested and their drug rings
were disrupted. This resulted in eradication of coca fields, the
destruction of 94 cocaine labs and the seizure of 5,000 kilograms of
cocaine, 56 kilograms of heroin, 14 kilograms of morphine base, 362 metric
tons of marijuana, 73 kilograms of hashish oil and an array of drug-making
chemicals.

As a parent and law-abiding citizen, I am happy to know that at least some
of these dangerous drugs are not making it into our neighborhoods to addict
and kill our children. As a drug-prevention specialist who has been engaged
in efforts for close to 20 years to curb drug abuse, I also know that,
contrary to the picture Peirce painted, we have not lost "the war on
drugs." Since the 1970s we have reduced overall drug use in this country by
greater than 50 percent. If we had made this kind of progress in the war
against AIDS, cancer, high-school dropouts or teenage pregnancies, no one
would consider those efforts failures. So why do we label our efforts
against drug abuse as such? Could it be that the mantra "The Drug War is a
Failure" is a deliberate lie to confuse the public?

Sen. Orrin Hatch's conviction to "shift more government funds toward
treatment and prevention" is a far cry from a call for drug legalization.
The last thing in the world successful treatment and prevention needs is
the legalization of more drugs. Already, our two legal drugs -- alcohol and
nicotine -- are the most difficult from which to abstain. Have you ever
wondered why? Imagine being in recovery for alcohol and almost every time
you go out to eat in a restaurant (with the exception of breakfast), you
are offered an alcoholic drink. Do we want to set up the same temptations
of other drugs?

Drugs are a medical and criminal problem. Drugs contribute to irresponsible
behavior which frequently results in medical problems such as unwanted
pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, accidents, overdoses and health
problems such as cancer, liver and lung damage and death. Drugs also
contribute to criminal behavior such as child and spousal abuse,
burglaries, rapes, murders and thefts.

As both a medical and criminal problem, drug abuse must be dealt with
accordingly through a comprehensive approach of prevention, treatment, and
law enforcement and interdiction.

When Gov. Gary Johnson said he guaranteed "that prison rates will drop" if
his proposed drug-permissive bills pass in New Mexico, he wasn't just
blowing smoke. If his bills make drugs legal, of course the prison rates
will drop, because those who are peddling drugs to our children will no
longer fill our prison cells. Of course, if we legalize murder, rape and a
few other crimes, we can really empty out those prisons, can't we?

Calvina L. Fay is executive director, Drug Free America Foundation Inc.,
St. Petersburg