DRUG ADDICTS 'SUFFER IN SILENCE'

The finding that "1 in 5 adults have a close relative who is or was
addicted to drugs or alcohol" has important implications for drug
policy (Cover story, News, July 20).

Alcoholics who seek help for their illness need not fear criminal
sanctions. They can enlist family support in the recovery process
without confessing to criminal activity. The USA has effectively
criminalized addiction to non-traditional drugs. This practice has
given the land of the free the dubious distinction of having the
highest incarceration rate in the world and, in the process, driven
illicit drug use underground where it is harder to treat.

If addiction is indeed a disease, would 40 million Americans be
better off with a loved one behind bars? And if prison cells are
effective health interventions, should they be extended to
alcoholics, tobacco smokers and the obese?

Truth is, the drug war is a cultural inquisition, not a public health
campaign. If Americans addicted to illegal drugs are to get the help
they need, this country is going to have to stop subsidizing the
prejudices of culture warriors. Driving drug use underground forces
addicts to suffer in silence.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy