FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS NEEDS NEW APPROACH

To The Editor: On March 25, I went to see Traffic, a film that later
that evening won four Oscars. I was surprised to see the majority of
the audience was 60 and older. The film showed a realistic view of
one corner of the drug war. Many great points were made, but they're
too numerous to list.

I am in my 40s with two school-age children, and I see the drug war as
a failed effort. It was a hard decision to come to as, like most all
parents, I'd like to see our children grow up without confronting
drugs. However, like the decision Michael Douglas comes to in the
film, I find it disturbing that our longest war in the history of the
United States is waged against our own family members.

I want to see people get help in getting off and staying off drugs. I
do not want our teens being sentenced to 15 and 20 years in prison for
experimenting, and I don't want our teens dying because their friends
are scared to ask for help.

Traffic's four Oscars, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, Best
Supporting Actor and Best Film Editing, were a thumbs up for a broader
view of this war we have waged on ourselves. With treatment on demand
we can change the course of things, which this war has not been able
to do. Our kids now have more drugs at cheaper prices than ever before.

I have seen proponents of the drug war accuse reformers of being
dealers who want an open market for their goods. The big drug dealers
already have an open market. Let's try lessening the demand as the
movie suggested. It is time to try a different approach.

Kim Sherrill
Chimney Rock