Pubdate: Tue, 27 Mar 2001
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20071
Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: Steven Kronenberg
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n494/a08.html

SCIENCE, NOT SENTENCING

The announcement that the U.S. Sentencing Commission has toughened 
penalties for selling the drug Ecstasy [news story, March 21] demonstrates 
that policy makers refuse to let science block their plans to imprison 
illicit drug users.

When it comes to increasing prison sentences, policy makers ignore 
scientific evidence of a drug's harm (or lack thereof). The article noted 
that a leading group of scientists said that "there was 'no justification' 
in terms of policy or pharmacology for an increase in punishment."

Drug use is a health problem. It's time to demand a science-based drug 
strategy.

Steven Kronenberg, Philadelphia
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