EDITORIAL: A LESSON IN DUTCH

THE general leading the war on drugs in this country became involved in a
small skirmish recently while touring Europe to look at how other countries
attack drug use. Gen. Barry McCaffrey is from the scorched-earth school of
drug policy. Eradication is the name of the game.

In Holland the approach is a little different. Holland's drug policy is
possibly best known for its rather lenient attitude toward so-called
``soft'' drugs, a policy that has led to criticism from anti-drug
hard-liners. In Holland, marijuana can be purchased without criminal
penalty, underlining the distinction between ``soft'' and ``hard'' drugs
that is at the center of that country's policy.

Prior to going to Holland, the general called the distinction between soft
and hard drugs a disaster and then mistakenly said the murder rate there is
higher than America's. The Dutch were so annoyed that the U.S. ambassador
was called to the Dutch foreign ministry for a chat.

The general's attitude is good in theory. The appalling toll taken by drug
use in this country is reason enough to try to eliminate this scourge from
our society. But in practice the zero-tolerance plan isn't working very
well. So it wouldn't have hurt the general to be a little more open-minded
about The Netherlands.

Obviously there is disagreement in the United States about making a
distinction between soft and hard drugs. Many opponents of such leniency
say less-addictive drugs can be the gateway to harder drug use.

Whatever the merits of these points of view, it would have been instructive
for General McCaffrey to take a balanced and unbiased look at the way the
Dutch handle their drug problem. As an example, they provide free heroin to
addicts in an attempt to avoid the crime and spread of disease associated
with hard drug use.

Although he later couched his comments in more diplomatic language, General
McCaffrey showed true colors in his reluctance to look past the
round-'em-up and lock-'em-up approach that drives policy in this country.

The use of drugs, and the crime and illness associated with it, takes
thousands of casualties every year in this country. Ending this toll in
human life involves - to use an appropriate military metaphor - attacking
both the criminal activity itself and the underlying social causes of drug
abuse.

If creative ways can be found to approach this problem, whether here or
overseas, surely General McCaffrey should open his eyes - and his mind.

© Copyright 1998 The Blade.

Checked-by: Richard Lake