ACCESS TO TREATMENT CRITICAL

Regarding your Aug. 23 editorial ("Grant a welcome weapon in war on meth
problem," p. 2), how should Tennessee respond to the growing use of
methamphetamine? During the crack epidemic of the '80s, New York City chose
the zero tolerance approach, opting to arrest and prosecute as many
offenders as possible. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry was
smoking crack and America's capital had the highest per capita murder rate
in the country. Yet crack use declined in both cities simultaneously.

Simply put, the younger generation saw firsthand what crack was doing to
their older brothers and sisters and decided for themselves that crack was
bad news. This is not to say nothing can be done about methamphetamine.
Access to drug treatment is critical for the current generation of meth
users. Diverting resources away from prisons and into cost-effective
treatment would save both tax dollars and lives.

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy