TREATING DRUG USE, URBAN AND RURAL

To the Editor:

"As Drug Use Drops in Big Cities, Small Towns Confront Upsurge" (front
page, Feb. 11) clearly tells America that drug abuse is a great equalizer.
It does not segregate by class, race or geography. Cities, small towns and
rural areas face similar challenges of keeping youngsters engaged in
education and healthy pursuits and away from drug dealers.

One important difference is that urban communities have greater access to
treatment. While we can sympathize with the hard-pressed, rural police
departments trying to control illegal drug activity, arrests cannot be the
only strategy.

In many cities, including New York, treatment providers and law enforcement
agencies have created partnerships so drug abusers arrested for nonviolent
offenses are offered treatment instead of jail.

PETER PROVET

President, Odyssey House

New York, Feb. 12, 2002