ZERO TOLERANCE ISN'T BEST WAY TO FIGHT DRUGS

In his column "White House must take lead in drug wars" (Opinion Commentary
Feb. 20), Michael Dana points to the drug war's unintended consequences as
reason to intensify efforts.

But the fact that filling prisons with non-violent drug offenders costs
taxpayers billions is reason to rethink the drug war, not to continue it.
There are cost-effective alternatives to the drug war. The Netherlands, for
example has reduced drug use by replacing marijuana prohibition with
regulation. Dutch drug-use rates are significantly lower than U.S. rates in
every category. Separating the hard and soft drug markets and establishing
age controls has proven
more effective than zero tolerance.

Robert Sharpe, Washington