SentLTE-Digest Wednesday, March 9 2016 Volume 16 : Number 003
001 LTE: Sanctioning Drug Use In Tampa 20 Feb 2016
From: John Chase <>
002 LTE: 'Heroin epidemic demands a federal response', March 8th
From: John Chase <>
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Subj: 001 LTE: Sanctioning Drug Use In Tampa 20 Feb 2016
From: John Chase <>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:31:46 -0800
Editors, Tampa Tribune -
Re: Editorial: Sanctioning Drug Use In Tampa 20 Feb 2016
The Tribune gives too much credit to the drug, and too little to the
process (of prohibition). It is impossible to stamp out ANYTHING that
millions of Americans want, and trying harder causes more societal
damage than it prevents. Our elected leaders are torn between wanting to
ease off on possession arrests, but not so much that marijuana use
increases. It can't be done, and it's better to know that now.
The best policy is to legalize and regulate. It will be upsetting at
first, but is the best way out. Apply the tobacco model. The federal
government's own data shows that current use of tobacco (cigarettes)
among 12th graders has plummeted by two thirds in the past 14 years, to
10%, while marijuana use has been essentially constant at 20%. That
database also shows that 12th graders report that marijuana has been
successively harder to get almost every year since 1996, when states
began to legalize and regulate. That evidence is all found in the
highly respected annual reports of the Monitoring the Future project
funded by NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse).
John G Chase
Palm Harbor
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Subj: 002 LTE: 'Heroin epidemic demands a federal response', March 8th
From: John Chase <>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2016 05:56:41 -0800
Editors, Tampa Bay Times
Re: U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's Op-Ed: "Heroin epidemic demands a federal
response", March 8th
I don't doubt that Vern's motives are good, but he proposes trying
harder on a policy that has never worked in 100 years, the federally
supported drug war. He writes of "disrupting the local and global heroin
supply chain" and "federal grants to combat drugs"and his "fight against
bogus pill mills". That's the same drugwar-speak we've been hearing
forever. Dr. Phil would ask "... and how's that working for you?"
I suggest we ask the Swiss for help. Their policy began in 1994 as an
"experiment", then expanded and voted by referendum in 2008 to be part
of their health services. To an American, it is radical: Methadone is
not a 'controlled substance'. The goal is not abstinence. Addicts who
cannot get by on methadone, are prescribed heroin. Most important, there
is no heroin supply chain to disrupt; it dried up because there was
little profit in it. As I said, ask the Swiss.
John G Chase
Palm Harbor, FL
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End of SentLTE-Digest V16 #3
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