POLICING DISEASE

Staff-Sgt. Roger Chaffin's suggestion ("Police eye addict court," Jan. 3.)
is probably better than the usual drug war express line in courts but what
really is the sense in an addict court?

The American Medical Association has called addiction a disease for decades
and it is accepted fact that addiction is "characterized" (defined) by
re-lapse to drug use.

Obviously, neurobiology is involved. Instead of all these billions for
police, prisons, and courts, we should be use the money to find a real cure
for addiction. After all, it is only fair, if we must have "addict court,"
that we try "cancer court," "AIDS court," and courts to handle the rest of
the difficult medical challenges.

Dave Michon

(Victims of those ailments don't commit violent crimes.)