TAKE A NEW APPROACH TO DRUG FIGHT

"Spokane County officials searching for more jail space'' (Jan. 25) is a
sad commentary on officials' priorities. Reasons cited for the need were
increases in violent crime, meth arrests and new drunk-driving laws. The
Jan. 27 story on "Meth busters'' (Voice) carried an equally sad message
about the state of the war on drugs.

Even though years of locking 'em up with stiff sentences has proven
ineffective, more arrests and more jail cells are still the only solutions
being proposed by officials to address the ever-increasing violent and
drug-related crime in Spokane.

It's clear that addiction is a major contributor to the rise in criminal
activity, but none of the suggested alternatives acknowledge the role of
addiction in this increase. Addiction is a chronic illness that won't go
away by closing meth houses and building more jails. Failure to include
rehabilitation of the addict in the solution leaves the community wide open
to increasing drug-related criminal activity. New meth labs will always
fill the gap left by busted kitchens as long as the demand for meth remains
high.

The need for treatment and rehabilitation is greater than ever, yet the
only thing we offer the addict as a treatment for their illness is more
jail time. This makes about as much sense as treating a compound fracture
of the leg with six months' bed rest without setting the break itself.

In both cases, the result is a person destined to a lifetime dependent on
crutches!

Bonnie J Avery, Spokane, WA