DRUG POLICY

As a recovered former abuser of crack cocaine and methamphetamine (clean
over 11 years now) the question for Wisconsin legislators should be, "Will
limiting sales of decongestants do anything to reduce the amount of
methamphetamine abuse in our state?" My personal experience, along with
that of the couple thousand drug abusers I've worked with during the past
decade in treatment and recovery settings, suggests the answer is a
resounding no.

Yet the only responses being discussed in Madison all deal with increasing
penalties and levying harsher sanctions against the users and the
manufacturers of methamphetamine. I can assure readers that regardless of
how many Wisconsin residents police arrest and incarcerate for meth-related
offenses, not a single addict is any closer to true recovery.

It's time for more sensible alternatives. We need to increase access to
strong stimulants so that the illegal market for amphetamines will be
reduced. And we need to transfer the monies currently used to incarcerate
drug abusers into programs which allow treatment on demand for any drug
abuser who wants it. Such treatment should be available regardless of the
drug of abuse - whether that drug be meth, cocaine, alcohol, nicotine or
opiates.

Educate. Don't incarcerate.

Stephen Heath

Public Relations Director

Drug Policy Forum of Florida

http://www.dpffl.org

Clearwater, Fla.