WHY A SPECIAL COURT FOR DRUG ADDICTION?

Mary Spicer's new 'Drug Court' (01-22-02) is probably better than the usual
Drug War Express Line in courts but it exposes America's hypocritical
approach toward addiction.

The American Medical Association has called addiction a disease for decades
and it is accepted fact that addiction is "characterized" - defined - by
relapse to drug use. Obviously neurobiological processes - which are now
only dimly understood - are involved. Your editorial compared addiction with
Golden Globe-winner "A Beautiful Mind" and it's portrayal of shizophrenia
but we do not have "Schizophrenia Court" because we do not arrest people for
it! Instead of all these billions for police, prisons, and courts we should
be using the money to find a real cure for addiction.

And it is only fair, if we must have a special court for drug addiction,
that we try 'Cancer Court,' 'AIDS Court,' and courts to handle the rest of
the difficult medical challenges.

Dave Michon

Eau Claire, Wisc.