VOICE OF REASON

To the editors:

OH my, what a refreshing attitude expressed by your MSP Margo MacDonald
("It's time for plain dealing on drugs", News, January 16).

As the UK and other countries in Europe continue a demonstrative move to
change their drug policies to a more health-based approach over a
criminal-based policy, we in the USA can't help but be a little envious.

European "harm reduction" approaches actually produce far lower rates of
use for illicit substances than here in America, and you also enjoy far
lower rates of property crime and violence associated with criminal drug
dealing.

Despite this, over here we have federal task forces devoted to raiding
medical marijuana operations and we arrest over 700,000 citizens annually
for marijuana alone.

Meanwhile, our Government officials wring their hands and lament that
current drug treatment is only available on demand in about 15 per cent of
cases.

I understand that my home state of Florida is a popular holiday destination
for citizens of the UK. Any chance you could persuade Ms MacDonald to book
her next holiday here? We could sure use the increase in common sense.

STEPHEN HEATH

Drug Policy Forum of Florida

Clearwater, FL, USA