CUTS DON'T HURT NOELLE

For the past three years Gov. Jeb Bush and his Drug Czar Jim
McDonough have deflected complaints about harsh state drug-law
policies by telling us how important they believe drug treatment is
and how it's a better approach to dealing with drug abuse and the
associated crimes that often go with it.

Then on Jan. 28, Bush announced the slashing of the state budget
which 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
Noelle 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 who are arrested on drug charges feel the
full brunt of Bush's harsh policies. Lacking resources for proper
defense counsel, the average citizen in this state will be ground up
by the harsh criminal sanctions against any drug use. 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 'em 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
Clearwater