DRUG BATTLE IS A WORTHY CAUSE

Re: "Anti-drug crusade brings suffering'' (Letters, March 3).

I don't know where Alan Randell gets his information.

Let's look at his statement "Those who do not use illegal drugs have become
acclimatized to the cops' incessant hounding of those innocent souls who do.''

First of all, illegal drugs are exactly that _ illegal. Whether we agree
with that fact or not, if you are using them you are breaking the law.

Second, most cops do not "hound'' incessantly, and those who feel they are
being hounded probably have a guilty conscience.

Third, there are no "innocent souls'' using illegal drugs except maybe
those who could use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Randell also wants us to put a human face on the suffering. How about the
kids who were killed in their house about a month ago because someone
showed up to buy drugs from someone else? What about the infants who are
born addicted to drugs because their mother was one of those "innocent
souls'' doing drugs while pregnant? What about the kids who come home from
school to find their parent(s) stoned out of their minds and unable to care
for the needs of the family? Or the children living in a home where meth is
being made? What about all the money being spent on drugs that should be
spent on honest to goodness necessities like rent, food, clothing, utilities?

I say keep up the good work to all the police officers who are putting
their lives on the line while fighting the war against drugs.

Roxanne Coatney
Chewelah, WA