Pubdate: Sun, 24 Aug 2003
Source: Star-Banner, The (FL)
Copyright: 2003 The Star-Banner
Contact:  http://www.starbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1533
Author: Steve Hach

THIS IS SUCCESS?

I applaud the Star-Banner for its recent coverage of the overcrowding of 
Florida prisons due to the influx of drug war prisoners.

I would like to remind you and all Star-Banner readers that Florida Drug 
Czar James McDonough and Gov. Jeb Bush vociferously opposed efforts to 
reform Florida drug laws so that all nonviolent drug offenders would 
receive addiction treatment in lieu of jail sentences.

In essence, they utilized tax dollars to fight a citizen's ballot 
initiative that would have afforded all Floridians the same deal provided 
to the governor's drug-addicted daughter Noelle.

Bush and McDonough have been touting the effectiveness of their strategy 
for several years now -- and during last year's election their progress 
report on the governor's web site claimed to have increased treatment 
funding and reduced drug use in Florida by 31 percent.

But how can these claims possibly be true given the soaring number of drug 
offenders in prisons across the state, the huge increases in overdoses from 
drugs like heroin and cocaine, the escalating problems with designer drug 
trafficking, the methamphetamine problem, and the massive prescription drug 
death toll?

Perhaps the Star-Banner and its readership might like to re-evaluate 
McDonough's and Bush's claims of success in their drug control strategy?

Steve Hach, Gainesville
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens