EASE ILLEGAL DRUG USE BY TESTING ON THE JOB

Re "The Illegal Drug Trade Is Actually Obeying the Law -- of Supply and
Demand," by James Zirin, Commentary, Dec. 22: Interdiction of illegal drugs
has been used unsuccessfully to control the use of drugs. It is necessary
to make the use of illegal drugs socially unacceptable here in the U.S. How
can we do this?

The government cannot order drug-testing of all individuals. But many
companies test employees for drug use now; the government can subsidize the
cost of drug testing for every employer. Obtaining and retaining a job
would force individuals to be drug-free. It would not take long to very
substantially reduce drug use.

The government would have to provide drug users assistance in getting off
drugs. It should give tax advantages to employers who can demonstrate their
employees are drug-free. The cost? A majority of the criminals incarcerated
in prison are involved to some extent with illegal drugs. We would
drastically reduce our court, police and prison costs. Most of the money
spent on interdiction, or given to foreign governments to destroy crops,
would not be needed. In a short time we would be spending less for the
testing and treatment than for these unsuccessful efforts.

Sidney Rubinstein

Rosemead