DRUG POLICY SHOULD FOCUS ON REDUCING DEATH AND DISEASE

If draconian penalties served to deter drug use, the U.S. would be
"drug-free" instead of the world's largest jailer (Who's the crook? What's
the crime?, Ian Mulgrew, April 29). Perhaps the most telling evidence of
drug war failure is the fact that lifetime use of marijuana is higher in
the U.S. than in any European country, many of which have decriminalized pot.

Drug policy should focus not on incarcerating users of politically
incorrect drugs, but rather on reducing the death, disease, crime and
suffering associated with both abuse and prohibition. The drug war fuels
organized crime and violence, which is then used to justify increased drug
war spending.

Eliminating the stigma and penalties associated with illicit drug use would
facilitate rehabilitation and save lives. I think it's safe to say that the
turnout at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings would be rather low if alcoholism
were a crime pursued with zero tolerance zeal. Drug abuse is bad, but the
drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe

Program Officer

Drug Policy Alliance

Washington, D.C.