HYPOCRITICAL DRUG POLICY

Editor:

For the past three years Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida drug czar Jim McDonough
have deflected complaints about harsh state drug law policies by telling us
how important drug treatment is and how it is a better approach to dealing
with drug abuse and crimes that often go with it.

Last Monday, Bush announced the slashing of the state budget that pays for
drug treatment in our prisons, thus ending programs in all but four of the
state's facilities. Less than 48 hours later, his daughter was arrested on
felony drug charges. While we all hope that Ms. Bush gets any and all
appropriate help she needs, it brings clearly to the forefront the
hypocrisy of 'get tough on drugs' laws.

Virtually all Floridians arrested on drug charges feel the brunt of Bush's
harsh policies. Lacking resources for proper defense counsel, the average
citizen will be ground up by the harsh criminal sanctions against any drug
use, much less abuse. And when they are spit out of the system months (or
years) later, if they have not had the root problems of their abuse
addressed, who cares? We'll just run them through the mill again.

Bush endorses draconian drug policies because he knows that his family and
friends will never have to experience the full and complete life shattering
consequences of these policies. If he says otherwise now, you don't have to
'read his lips'. Just check his proposed state budget.

STEPHEN HEATH

Drug Policy Forum of Florida