PREVENTION IS BETTER

Re the Nov. 10 article America's new heroin epidemic: It's great that fewer
people are dying from drug abuse.

Florida drug czar James McDonough is incorrect in claiming that crackdowns
in law enforcement are having an impact. In fact, the Rand Corporation
found that trying to deal with drug abuse using criminal justice is 15
times more expensive and less effective than treatment and prevention.

Treatment and education are the best tools to keep our children safe and
should be properly credited as the reasons for improvements. McDonough's
assertions show how out of touch the government is with reality.

Anthony Lorenzo, Tampa