'MEDICAL MODEL' FLAWED

The thoughtful letter of Karen Fisher on July 11 raises some very
interesting questions. She mentions that "The current and most popular
model of understanding the nature of alcohol and drug problems is the
medical model."

That suggests there are other models, and I wonder what they might be?
I wonder if the medical model is the most accurate or realistic? It
would be interesting to know what some of the other models are.

If it is the medical model that has inspired our current well-meaning
but misguided drug policy, then I suspect that model contains one very
large flaw, for our current drug policy -- an integral part of the
criminal industrial complex Ms. Fisher alludes to -- is an utter and
expensive failure.

Richard Sinnott

Fort Pierce