Drug Use
The real story behind The Times’ coverage on the 35.4% drop in high school drug usage is that this occurred despite an all-time high percentage (58.7%) of students who said that cocaine was “very easy” to get (Part A, Feb. 14).
What does that do to the political warlords of the “War on Drugs” who claim that interdiction, not education is the answer.
Clearly the drop in usage of both cocaine (and cigarettes) is occurring despite a huge, easy supply of such drugs. Stopping drugs from being available is not only impossible but a total waste of money. To educate and treat is the obvious answer. In this case, the figures don’t lie: Stop the “war” and educate, rehabilitate, and stop crowding the courts and prisons with wasted efforts to stop what can’t be stopped, which is the illegal sale of drugs.
HERBERT HAFIF
Claremont
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