PUNISHING DRUG ADDICTS IS CRUEL, SENSELESS

It chills me when we as human beings consider "justice" and "compassion" to
be "dangerous policies," as one letter writer suggested in his support of
continuing the failed war on drugs (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 6). The "harm
reduction" policies adopted by groups such as the Drug Policy Alliance focus
on reducing the harmful effects of drug abuse on our society, not just on
those who abuse drugs.

Those who support the war on drugs would have us -- the tax-paying citizens
- -- subsidize the punishment of anyone who associates with a federal list of
illicit substances, both with more taxes and in the loss of peace that a
Prohibition society incurs.

Our nation's drug policy is based on the idea that anyone who even possesses
a substance from this list is guaranteed to commit a violent act; so they
must be imprisoned. This is simply untrue.

The drug war is indeed unjust and uncompassionate; it also wastes resources
incarcerating nonviolent citizens while violent offenders walk free.

Quinn C. Hoyer

Captain Cook, Hawaii