GOOD RESULTS WITH ADDICTS

Dan Price hit the nail on the head with his April 19 Community Voices
column "Alternatives to the drug war." It takes guts for a person who
works closely with drug war proponents to say such things.

His proposal is very close to Swiss heroin policy that legalizes soft
drugs and provides "maintenance programs" for the addictive drugs. The
Swiss results are described in the book "Cost-Benefit Analysis of
Heroin Maintenance Treatment" by two medical doctors, published in
2000 by S. Karger, AG, Basel.

The bottom line is that Swiss taxpayers save about $30 U.S. per day
for each addict in the program, with most of the savings owed to the
fact that addicts no longer rob and steal to get the cash to pay the
exorbitant price offered by drug dealers. The addicts' health
improves, and because they no longer spend every waking moment
planning for their next fix, they are able to hold jobs, pay taxes and
support families. Great emphasis is put on "reintegrating" the addict
to society.

We take the exact opposite approach. Our official policy is to drive
the addict to the margins of society. We believe that demonization
works. But the Swiss have results.

Perhaps with more brave people like Price speaking the truth, others
will be emboldened to follow, and we can move ahead.

JOHN CHASE
Palm Harbor