TOLERANCE NEEDED

To the editor:

The Nov. 22 article on the work of the Children's Policy Council in
Lauderdale County contained excellent advice on preventing adolescent drug
use. The importance of parental involvement in reducing drug use cannot be
overstated. These days, concerned parents have more to fear from
school-based zero tolerance drug policies than drugs themselves. According
to the Monitoring the Future Survey, over half of all high school seniors
have tried an illicit drug. Denying a majority of the nation's youth an
education is not in America's best interest.

Most teenagers outgrow their youthful indiscretions involving drugs. An
arrest and criminal record, on the other hand, can be life shattering.
After admitting to smoking pot (but not inhaling), former President Bill
Clinton opened himself up to "soft on drugs" criticism. And thousands of
Americans have paid the price in the form of shattered lives. More
Americans went to prison or jail during the Clinton administration than
during any past administration.

As an admitted former drinker and alleged illicit drug user, President
George W. Bush is also politically vulnerable when it comes to drugs. While
youthful indiscretions didn't stop Clinton or Bush from assuming leadership
positions, an arrest surely would have. The short-term health effects of
politically incorrect drugs like marijuana are inconsequential compared to
the long-term effects of criminal records. Drug abuse is bad, but the
zero-tolerance drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe, Washington

Editor's note: The writer is program officer for the Drug Policy Alliance,
www.drugpolicy.org.