DRUG WAR FUELS CRIME

The breakup of a "major heroin distribution ring" in Trenton
("Simultaneous raids staunch heroin flow," July 25) is not necessarily
good news for local residents. Attempts to limit the supply of
illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the
profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a
spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal
activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime,
it fuels crime.

With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun
each other down in drive-by shootings, nor do consumers go blind
drinking unregulated bathtub gin. While U.S. politicians ignore the
drug war's historical precedent, European coun tries are embracing
harm reduction, a public health alternative based on the principle
that both drug abuse and prohibition have the potential to cause harm.

Examples of harm reduction include needle exchange programs to stop
the spread of HIV, marijuana regulation aimed at separating the hard
and soft drug markets, and treatment alternatives that do not require
incarceration as a prerequisite. Unfortunately, fear of appearing
"soft on crime" compels many U.S. politicians to support a failed drug
war that ultimately subsidizes organized crime. Drug abuse is bad, but
the drug war is worse.

ROBERT SHARPE, Washington, D.C.

The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy (www.csdp.org).