THERE IS A BETTER WAY THAN PUNITIVE PROHIBITION OF DRUGS

I'm responding to Susan Martinuk's column on safe-injection sites.

While the Platzpitz in Switzerland may have had serious problems, it did
see a reduction in the number of HIV cases and did not see an increased
rate of drug use.

However, since the closing of Platzpitz the Swiss have had success with
heroin maintenance programs. They have reduced the spread of disease, crime
and have even gotten heroin addicts to hold jobs and contribute to society.

Maybe safe-injection sites aren't the answer, but neither is
punitive-prohibition. There is a better way.

Jason Marrs,

Ossining, N.Y.