DRUG WAR MAKES LESS SENSE THAN IT EVER DID

Dear Editor,

In 1999, I wrote to tell you that the war on drugs is unsustainable and
would eventually fall of its own weight. Two-and-a-half years later, Gov.
George Ryan informed us that Illinois faced a weighty $2 billion budget
deficit.

I wrote again to remind you that feel-good drug policies were fueling
expensive prison growth that we could no longer afford. I suggested we
release non-violent drug offenders as an emergency measure and begin
exploring more affordable drug policies. Instead of proposing any sensible
reforms, however, Gov. Ryan merely threatened lawmakers that he would
release non-violent drug offenders unless other budget sacrifices were made.

Now we have a new governor who admitted he smoked marijuana twice and he
says the deficit is actually upwards of $5 billion. Our new Attorney
General seems oblivious to this and has already announced "new" ideas for
getting tough on drugs that will lead to even more prison growth. (Just
because it feels good, Ms Attorney General, doesn't mean you should do it.)

Recently, the redundantly named Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
Association announced the results of a poll that found that 85 percent of
Illinois voters want treatment for addicts instead of prison. It makes
sense considering that one dollar spent on treatment saves us over ten
dollars on police, courts and prisons.

Unfortunately, our leaders are hard-core drug war addicts who are quite
willing to steal our future to pay for their habit.

Larry Stevens

Springfield