DRUG USERS SCAPEGOATED

In "Drug fight worthwhile," July 15, Roy Clancy writes "... but nobody
would argue other drugs (other than marijuana) do anything but slowly
destroy the user." I would. Canada's 1973 Le Dain Commission concluded
"there appears to be little permanent physiological damage from
chronic use of pure opiate narcotics." Selling fear to the public has
always been a mainstay of the media (and police, for that matter).
Taking a "tough on crime" stance, particularly in a climate of
perpetual fear created by the "war on drugs" and "war on terrorism,"
is a politically safe posture. "Criminals" have no lobbying groups.
There is no political price to pay for attacking such an easy
scapegoat. Clancy did his job well.

ALAN RANDELL

(There's little public support for legalizing all drugs)