Into the Tank, Cold Turkey

Sally Satel's thoughtful piece on drug abuse treatment ("For Addicts, Force
is toe. Best Medicine," editorial page, Jan. 6) reflects the experience
that Phoenix House has had over the past 30 years helping "hardcore" drug
abusers.

The myth she explodes -- that drug abusers can only be helped by treatment
they want -- has blocked meaningful expansion of drug abuse programming for
the most troubled and troublesome of drug abusers, particularly among the
criminal population.

This treatment gap was recently illustrated by the National Center on
Addiction and Substance (Abuse) at Columbia University's report on prisons
and substance abuse. the study revealed that while there are at least
750,000 federal and state prisoners who need drug and alcohol abuse
treatment, only 150,000 actually receive any.

President Clinton's call for the eliminattion of inmate drug use is
profoundly sensible, and treatment is the proven means to reach this end.
Moreover, if drug abusing prisoners are not treated while they are behind
bars, they are not likely to abandon their criminal ways when they return
to the street.

MITCHELL S. ROSENTHAL, M.D.
New York

Dr. Satel's call for coerced drug treatment confuses an important issue
regarding drug abuse. While I believe that she is correct in stating that
stopping drug use is a matter of personal responsibility, coercing
treatment does not, as she maintains, encourage drug users to take that
responsibility. Rather, coerced treatment and compliance means that society
has assumed that responsibility.

Leaving the responsibility with addicts would mean that society simply let
the natural consequences of drug abuse take their toll, much as they
tragically did with Mr. Farley, who alone is responsible for his demise.
Society can not have it both ways.

We cannot preach personal responsibility while simultaneously taking it
away.

MICHAEL S. REZNICEK, M.D.
Director, Psychiatric Consulting Services
Omaha, Neb.

Dr. Satel is to be applauded for recognizing that drug addicts must take
personal responsibility for their lives. Unfortunately, she advocated the
one "medicine" that negates that very responsibility.

By forcing addicts into treatment, government is sending a clear statement
that they need not take responsibility: it will be taken for them by big
brother.

Shortly before the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, a Wall Street Journal
editorial writer wrote about his encounter with a group of East German
school girls. When he asked the "clearest and wisest" what she wanted to be
when she grew up, she stated, "It doesn't make any difference what we
become when we grow up.. We will still always be treated like children."

Using force to "treat" addicts is treating them like children. Perhaps it's
time for our drug warriors to grow up. so addicts can try to do the same.

STEVE BUCKSTEIN
President, Cascade Policy Institute
Portland, Ore.