ONLY A FRACTION

"A new state program ... won't do much" is a misleading subtitle for The
Times' Feb. 20 editorial about a federally funded plan to help groups work
as a coalition. The editorial states a rational person would not conclude
that $9 million is going to do much to impede or prevent drug
experimentation, yet a few paragraphs later it acknowledges education,
intervention and treatment should be implemented. Such services can not be
implemented without money.

I disagree with the statement that drug use is mostly confined to a certain
socioeconomic segment, but even if use was confined, the impact on our
community is not. Tax-funded treatment, lost productivity, DUI and other
crimes resulting from substance abuse affect everyone.

The editorial accurately states that drug abuse is a medical and societal
problem and concludes that money can help agencies deal with the drug
problem rationally.

Drugs Offer No Tomorrow (D.O.N.T.) Inc. provides prevention education to
approximately 10,000 students in public and private schools each year in
Madison County.

From 1997 to 2003, 19 percent fewer students in those schools tried
alcohol; cigarette and marijuana use was down 14 percent and 11 percent
respectively. Despite these successes, prevention is in jeopardy. D.O.N.T.
may close due to a $20K budget deficit this year, and projected $88K
deficit for FY05.

A fraction of $9 million can do much for Madison County.

Juli Gerrits, Madison

Juli Gerrits is the director of Drugs Offer No Tomorrow Inc.