WRONG PRIORITIES HANDICAP DRUG COURT SYSTEM

Letter writer Robert Sharpe's astute comments about the drug court
system are laudable (Public Forum, Sept. 15).

However, I'd like to add that problems with adequate funding for your
drug courts are assured, given the experience we've had here in
Florida, where the drug court system was first introduced.

The system's fatal flaw is the failure to make any distinction
between the use and the abuse of any drug, most notably marijuana.
Thus the well-intentioned drug court model is now jammed with
thousands of marijuana clients, whose need for drug treatment is no
more than an alcohol user's who drinks a six-pack on the weekend or
enjoys wine with his meals.

Treating the majority of marijuana use, and in many cases occasional
use of other illegal substances, as something in need of a
state-funded "cure" is a disaster in the making.

Taxpayers are forced to watch millions of dollars go into "curing"
someone who smokes small amounts of pot at home.

Then, as the number of clients rises, drug warriors use that data to
perpetuate the myth of marijuana addiction.

It's a never-ending rodent wheel, and we, the taxpayers, are getting the shaft.

Most important, far too many real drug abusers are left waiting for
needed help behind otherwise law-abiding citizens whose only crime
was possessing small amounts of drugs and being caught by authorities.

Stephen Heath

Public Relations Director

Drug Policy Forum of Florida

Clearwater, Fla.