DRUG WAR A MATTER OF HEALTH

To The Editor:

Michael A. Clem (''Your Views,'' Feb. 18) rants about the money he believes
is being foolishly spent fighting drugs in this country. Mr. Clem, this is
not a money issue. It is about health and safety and those whose lives are
being torn apart because of drugs. At what point do we stop spending money
because it's too expensive to protect children and adults?

Clem suggests that the ''War on Drugs'' hasn't worked. He mentioned the 3.6
million chronic drug users in this country. That's less than 3 percent of
the population. Thus, 97 percent of this country is staying clear of drugs.
Furthermore, drug use in the United States dropped for 12 straight years
(1980 to 1992) because of the policing, treatment and education strategies
of the drug war.

As for decriminalizing drug offenses, Clem should look at other countries
that have tried this. Legalization has been a monumental failure; these
countries are now strengthening their laws due to increased crime and
record addiction rates. Don't be fooled into thinking that legalizing drugs
will do anything but add fuel to the inferno. Look what happened when
alcohol was legalized. Lifting the ban on prohibition did little to solve
alcohol-related accidents, addiction rates and numerous other problems
associated with what is currently the most abused drug in the U.S.

Mark D. Woodward
Public Information Officer
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics And Dangerous Drugs Control