Drug Czar William Bennett

It is interesting that drug czar William Bennett (Part A, June 19) only gives California a C-minus on the narcotics-fighting grade scale. I think we can only give Bennett a grade of F for both his past performance as education secretary and for his current performance with regards to the war on drugs. Until Bennett and those who think like him start treating the cause of the drug problem (poverty, lack of education, a sense of hopelessness, etc.) instead of the symptoms, there will always be a problem. Let’s start putting the money where it belongs--in education and treatment--and stop filling our prisons with drug offenders.

Why don’t we ever hear Bennett talk about the much greater drug problems of smoking, misuse of alcohol and abuse of prescription drugs? I guess it is easier to cast stones at state legislators than at big business or abusive Washington lobbyists.

RICK LEE

Marina del Rey