U.S. DRUG WAR IS AN ABYSMAL FAILURE

Bravo for your editorial exposing the meeting between certain MPs of
Prime Minister Jean Chretien's party and the U.S. deputy drug czar (A
Dopey Lobby, Aug. 27.). The U.S. drug war is an abysmal failure, yet
some want Canada's policy to mimic the faulty U.S. model.

For example, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch has prepared legislation
called the Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act,
or Victory Act. Basically, this would extend the infamous Patriot Act
provisions to drug possession and use.

The government's rationale is that money from illegal drug profits
fuels some terrorist activities, ignoring that the only reason for the
incredible profits is because of the illegality of the drugs due to
prohibition.

Do not allow Canada to be blackmailed into drug policy rigidity by
certain MPs and our drug czar's office.

Gene Tinelli, addiction psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Science, Upstate Medical University, N.Y.