HERITAGE HOLDS LINE ON DRUGS

Though Robert Sharpe of the Drug Policy Alliance stated in his letter
yesterday that some thinkers at the Heritage Foundation may be
"reconsidering their take on drug policy" ["Failed drug war" ], I want to
reiterate that the Heritage Foundation has not changed its stance. Adjunct
scholar William H. Peterson was speaking for himself in his book review
["The war on drugs," Op-Ed, Tuesday], and he did not represent the views of
the foundation.

We continue to oppose the legalization of drugs and believe the best
approach to this serious problem is the strategy established by President
Reagan in 1982. It consisted of several components, including international
cooperation, strong law enforcement, prevention and education, treatment,
rehabilitation and research. This policy resulted in the reduction of drug
abuse in the United States by more than 50 percent during the Reagan-Bush
years. By contrast, programs such as needle exchanges have contributed to
some of the highest rates of heroin use in the nation.

Undoubtedly, improvements can be made in all facets of the effort to
control drug trafficking and drug abuse, but claiming "failure" and then
advocating radical changes toward policies that would increase drug use are
not in the best interests of our country.

EDWIN MEESE III

Chairman Center for Legal and Judicial Studies Heritage Foundation Washington