NEED A CHANGE

Dear Editor,

In response to Mr. McPhillips' letter of July 1:

I am neither a "doper" nor a person who makes a living as a drug
legalization lobbyist. I am the mother of four, the Gamma of four. I
am a nurse of 32 years who has invested the last 13 years working in
the fields of HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and substance use as a street
nurse -- much of it in small towns in middle America.

My interest in drug policy reform lies completely in my desire to stop
HIV and Hepatitis C infection and to support substance users in taking
steps toward positive change. My roots, my life, and my work are
firmly planted in the Midwest.

U.S. drug policy is hurting people and costing our society in ways
that are unacceptable.

Whether in Zwingle, Iowa, Chicago, Ill., or McCook, Neb., this is
true. It's time to consider new ways of addressing substance use.

Elizabeth Wehrman,

BSN, RN, Street Nurse,

LeClaire, Iowa