IN PRAISE OF ALLEN'S ANTI-DRUG PLAN

YOUR MAY 14 editorial ("The race to be tougher than tough on drugs")
dismissed former Gov. George Allen's comprehensive anti-drug agenda.
He should be commended for recognizing the seriousness of the nation's
drug problem, the threat it poses to our young people, and for
offering a comprehensive plan to keep drug dealers away from children.

His ideas make sense. Stop illegal drugs from crossing our borders;
put drug kingpins and drug dealers in prison; make treatment available
to those who have already experimented with drugs so they do not
become lost to addiction; and send a strong, clear message to our
children that drugs are deadly.

Besides sending more agents, prosecutors and equipment to the front
lines in the war against drugs, he offers new ideas to help curb
illegal drug use.

Allen's plan includes removing barriers that keep faith-based programs
from competing for federal drug-treatment grants, and establishing a
National Council on Drug Awareness to reach out to our young people
and help them understand the dangers of illegal drugs.

In the past eight years, drug use by children has doubled, and the
average heroin user today is age 17. If America continues along this
path, we're endangering our children's future. Allen understands that
it's time to implement sound leadership and initiatives to battle the
drug war.

BOB GOODLATTE, Sixth DistrictU.S. House of Representatives
ROANOKE