FLORIDA DRUG POLICY IS WRONG

Regarding the March 15 column by Florida drug czar James McDonough,
"Florida is reducing drug abuse," at least when Gov. Jeb Bush is
hammered about his shaky and questionable education budget numbers, he
writes his own rebuttals to Florida newspapers.

Not so when it comes to discussion of his drug policies, especially
when it includes an analysis of his focus on the drug war and his
emphasis on heavy-handed law enforcement rather than prioritizing drug
treatment on demand.

Bush and McDonough's most grievous spin is in how they define drug
abuse as any and all use of illicit substances.

Thus, if they can demonstrate even one less person using illegal
substances, they can claim a reduction in abuse.

All drug users, even those who indulge only upon occasion, are defined
as abusers, with the legal remedy being a court-supervised drug
treatment program.

Thus, Florida taxpayers pay for thousands of arrested people who have
no medical or substance abuse problem.

Meanwhile, most Floridians truly in need of qualified and appropriate
drug treatment on demand are left waiting unless they have a fat
insurance provider.

STEPHEN HEATH
Clearwater