cannabisnews.com: Glad Lawmakers Are Taking Harm Reduction Approach





Glad Lawmakers Are Taking Harm Reduction Approach
Posted by FoM on February 02, 2000 at 21:49:07 PT
Letters To The Editor
Source: San Francisco Examiner
I am glad to see lawmakers taking a "harm reduction" approach to the problem of abandoned babies by offering amnesty for their mothers. Rather than continually increasing penalties for crimes, we need to follow this example and start putting the welfare of victims first in making policy. 
I hope that instead of continuing our unceasing and inhumane war on drugs we may move toward policies that treat drug abuse and reduce crime instead of those that simply increase penalties, profits and violence. Ellen Komp San Francisco Program Associate The Lindesmith Center http://www.lindesmith.org/Drug Czar Backs TV Effort: The government and TV networks are not involved in secret collusion. The Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is a matter of public law and has been conducted openly, including multiple congressional hearings, extensive news coverage, public events with the president and a Website: http://www.mediacampaign.org/ accessed 446,596 times in 1999. Congress sensibly requires media outlets to match federal anti-drug advertising dollars on a one-for-one basis. Networks, magazines and newspapers may elect to make this match with content, public-service activities or free advertising. We take seriously concerns about the campaign's pro-bono match procedures. There can be no suggestion of federal interference in the creative process. In the future we will review programs for pro-bono match consideration only after they have aired. Congress has wisely allowed the Office of National Drug Control Policy to fashion anti-drug messages in television programming. We fulfill this mandate by making available expert scientific advice and technical assistance through a Behavior Change Expert Panel and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Since illegal drugs cost this country more than $100 billion and 52,000 deaths a year, this media campaign addresses a vital issue of public health. We are enormously proud of our hundreds of media partnerships. Drug use by America's youth declined 13 percent between 1997 and 1998. We are convinced that if we continue to emphasize drug prevention, juvenile drug-use rates will drop further. Barry R. McCaffrey Director Office of National Drug Control Policy Washington, D.C.Newshawk: Frank S. Worldhttp://www.drugsense.org/dpfwi/Published: February 2, 2000© The San Francisco Examiner Editorial: Must See Television, Propaganda - 1/28/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4507.shtmlWhen Conspiracy for Good is Bad - 1/28/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4506.shtmlEditorial: Just Say No - 1/27/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4505.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: