Ease Illegal Drug Use by Testing on the Job

Re “The Illegal Drug Trade Is Actually Obeying the Law -- of Supply and Demand,” by James Zirin, Commentary, Dec. 22: Interdiction of illegal drugs has been used unsuccessfully to control the use of drugs. It is necessary to make the use of illegal drugs socially unacceptable here in the U.S. How can we do this?

The government cannot order drug-testing of all individuals. But many companies test employees for drug use now; the government can subsidize the cost of drug testing for every employer. Obtaining and retaining a job would force individuals to be drug-free. It would not take long to very substantially reduce drug use.

The government would have to provide drug users assistance in getting off drugs. It should give tax advantages to employers who can demonstrate their employees are drug-free. The cost? A majority of the criminals incarcerated in prison are involved to some extent with illegal drugs. We would drastically reduce our court, police and prison costs. Most of the money spent on interdiction, or given to foreign governments to destroy crops, would not be needed. In a short time we would be spending less for the testing and treatment than for these unsuccessful efforts.

Sidney Rubinstein

Rosemead

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Zirin has the right idea about addictive drugs. However, we should go one step further. We should decriminalize drugs and provide treatment. This approach has been an outstanding success in Switzerland. It costs far less than the police approach. It takes the vast profits out of illegal drugs. It works. The only one hurt is the prison guards union.

Richard Foy

Redondo Beach