War of Attrition: Passage of Drug Law Won't Bring Victories Soon, Experts Warn --- More Research Funds Urged; Attempts to Cut Demand Are Called Promising, Iffy --- 'Just Swatting at Symptons'
WASHINGTON -- When it comes to rushing out anti-drug legislation this election year, most lawmakers just can't say no. But the "War on Drugs" about to be launched by Congress with President Reagan's strong backing isn't likely to win any quick victories.</br></br>"Everybody is stampeding to get into the act," says Sen. Phil Gramm, because curbing illicit drugs has become the sexiest issue on the national political radarscope. But another reason "we're moving so fast," the Texas Republican says, is "we're so late" in recognizing the extent of the drug problem and in beginning the search for solutions. He supports an attack on drugs as long overdue.</br></br>Critics and even some supporters contend, however, that Washington's highly touted anti-drug "war" is long on rhetoric but skimpy on substance. Part of the new legislation focuses on expanding the enforcement strategies that haven't worked in the past. And while increased education and research efforts offer hope, experts say that so far nobody can point to reliable, long-term methods for preventing drug experimentation or addiction. Even statistics about the extent of drug abuse are uncertain.</br></br>The greatest worry of many professionals is that the rising rhetoric will unduly raise hopes for an early solution.</br></br>Congress and President Reagan "are merely swatting at the symptoms," asserts Paul Cleary, a Harvard University medical sociologist. Even one of the architects of the administration's program, Dr. Charles Schuster, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, sees potential danger "in creating a false sense of optimism that the problem can be corrected with big bucks and a quick fix."