DEFUSING AFGHAN H BOMB

Re: Poppycock. Heroin produced in Afghanistan is primarily consumed
in Europe, a continent already experimenting with harm reduction
alternatives. Switzerland's heroin maintenance trials have been shown
to reduce drug-related disease, death and crime among chronic users.
Heroin maintenance pilot projects are under way in Canada, Germany,
Spain and the Netherlands.

If expanded, prescription heroin maintenance would deprive organized
crime of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin
trafficking unprofitable and spare future generations addiction.
Putting public health before politics may send the wrong message to
children, but I like to think the children are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC