Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company Contact: 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036 Fax: (212) 556-3622 Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Forum: http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/ Author: Mitchell S. Rosenthal, M.D. REFORMING DRUG LAWS To the Editor: "Signs of a Drug War Thaw" (news article, Jan. 21) notes that harsh drug law penalties are now being relaxed because there is less crime and, as a result, less fear of crime. At least as important in prompting drug law reform has been mounting evidence that compared with prison, treatment is a far more effective and far less expensive means of reducing drug-related crime. In New York, nonviolent offenders who complete treatment are twice as likely to stay out of trouble than nonviolent offenders sent to prison. Drug law reform is long overdue. No one should be punished for using drugs. But society should reserve the right to punish nonviolent offenders whose drug use persists, who refuse treatment or who refuse to comply with the demands of treatment. MITCHELL S. ROSENTHAL, M.D. President, Phoenix House New York, Jan. 23, 2001 - --- MAP posted-by: Kirk Bauer