NEW METHODS NEEDED IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

The "Dark Side of Addiction" (News-Sentinel, Jan. 12) could just as well be
titled "The Dark Secret of the Drug War." The story, with its horrific
account of Canadian youngsters sniffing gas, makes clear that the long,
sought-after drug-free America is a myth.

While expensive drug squads target cannabis connoisseurs or hapless
addicts, many retail establishments offer intoxicants more dangerous than
anything on the streets. We cannot imprison gas station and hardware store
owners, but we should not ignore the fact that they sell the dangerous
intoxicants without Food and Drug Administration or Drug Enforcement Agency
oversight.

For instance, we would obviously accomplish nothing even if we somehow
eliminated all illegal street drugs. In fact, people are driven to more
dangerous substitutes as their drug of choice is made scarce.

Intoxication has been called "the fourth drive," and we had better find new
ways of dealing with it since the old prohibition way is a proven loser.
This is the 21st century, and we have given drug prohibition a try, which
failed; now it's time to try a new approach: regulation. This would give
concerned professional medical people far more control over what is
ingested in this country - an attainable goal.

Does this mean giving drugs to kids or letting them sniff gas? Of course
not. It does mean that we can begin to change our society's entire approach
to and relationship with the fourth drive.

That is, of course, if we really care about kids but not if the drug war is
about something else entirely.

DAVE MICHON