| March 23, 2001 #192 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Listen to the newsletter at: http://www.drugsense.org/radio/ | ||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
This Just In- (1) Drug War Approach Seen As Utter Failure (2) Legalization Of Drugs May Be On Agenda (3) Lords Back Cannabis Use (4) Forced Drug Tests For Pregnant Women Struck Down | ||||||||||||||||||
This Just In | ||||||||||||||||||
(1) DRUG WAR APPROACH SEEN AS UTTER FAILURE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Survey Finds Public Favors Treatment | ||||||||||||||||||
The U.S. public increasingly perceives the war on drugs to be an abject
failure, a new study said today, and drug experts see that as a hopeful
sign that the nation may be edging toward a more effective and broader
approach to dealing with its drug epidemic. | ||||||||||||||||||
"It makes a difference," said Daniel Abrahamson, director of the San
Francisco-based Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation, noting that
today's findings by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
agree with other recent polls. | ||||||||||||||||||
"The vast majority of people believe the war on drugs is not working,"
Abrahamson said. "That opens the door for innovative different policies
focused on the public health approach rather than the criminal justice
system-drug war approach." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(2) LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS MAY BE ON AGENDA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Uruguay's President Wants To Start Debate In Hopes Of Ending Civil War In
Colombia | ||||||||||||||||||
OTTAWA - The President of Uruguay is to use next month's Summit of the
Americas in Quebec City to raise the issue of legalizing drugs as a way of
fighting illegal international cartels. | ||||||||||||||||||
President Jorge Batlle Ibanez said he will try to open debate on
legalization of drugs either formally or informally. | ||||||||||||||||||
"Imagine the money you spend to impede drug traffic and imagine that huge
amount of resources on education for the people who really need help," he
told The Washington Post. | ||||||||||||||||||
The President said the best way to address the civil war in Colombia would
be to legalize drugs and admit Colombia into NAFTA. | ||||||||||||||||||
Meanwhile, the Mexican President has agreed with statements by his top police officials that legalization is the only way to win the war on drugs. Vicente Fox speculated in weekend interviews that legalizing drugs would eliminate the profit motive and violence that goes with illegal trafficking. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(3) LORDS BACK CANNABIS USE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The medicinal use of cannabis should be legalised, a House of Lords
report recommends. | ||||||||||||||||||
The report, by the Lords select committee on science and technology,
says that people who take cannabis to ease the symptoms of
debilitating conditions such as multiple sclerosis should not live in
fear of prosecution. | ||||||||||||||||||
It also calls for research into developing cannabis-based medicines to
be speeded up, and accuses the body that licenses new drugs of
dragging its feet. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is insisting that new data is made
available on the possible toxic effects of cannabis. | ||||||||||||||||||
But the Lords report says this data is not necessary, as cannabis has
been used in medicine for hundreds of years. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(4) FORCED DRUG TESTS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN STRUCK DOWN (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
In a victory for civil-liberties advocates and abortion rights groups, the
Supreme Court today ruled that hospitals cannot administer drug tests to
pregnant women without their consent and forward positive results to the
police. | ||||||||||||||||||
By a vote of 6 to 3, the court held that the drug tests conducted in the
past by a Charleston, S.C., public hospital amounted to warrantless police
searches of the women. The searches could not be justified by local
authorities' expressed interests in protecting the health of the women or
their unborn children. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (5-10) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The din of "Traffic:" | ||||||||||||||||||
The urbane critic who first called the drug war a failure in 1996
revisited the issue after seeing "Traffic;" his opinion: some
progress, but still a mess. | ||||||||||||||||||
The conventional response: we need more treatment, less incarceration;
was echoed in Salon, but The New Republic's on-line editor disagreed
publicly with his boss. | ||||||||||||||||||
Speaking of treatment, Alan Leshner only confused things in an
interview with JAMA; he labels drug use (interchangeable with
addiction?) a "disease," but has little problem with cops controlling
its "treatment." | ||||||||||||||||||
Nonetheless, examples of why his logic fails aren't hard to come by. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another response that can only be called clueless was heard from a
pair with a lot of script experience of their own: whaddaya mean,
failure? It's a blooming success! | ||||||||||||||||||
We might find out if President Bush actually has a drug policy when he
finally gets around to nominating a czar. | ||||||||||||||||||
Make that if-- and when. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(5) HARD LESSONS FROM TRAFFIC? (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The Drift Of Public Policy In The Matter Of Drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
The drug czar-elect in the movie Traffic has decided to look at the
grit of drug trade and drug addiction first hand, to which end he
forages about Tijuana and has a near overdose. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
One does not sense, in the new administration, any dramatic insights on
how to redirect policies that would seem to have failed. President Bush
is not, by background or disposition, a natural leader for a dramatic
change in policy. Yes, by all means reduce the demand. And yes, it
would help prospective drug takers to see the movie, Traffic. On the
other hand, it would be prudent not to view it repeatedly. That would
make the viewer reach out for any drug in sight. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(6) HOLLYWOOD FIGHTS BACK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Harvey Weinstein Goes Ballistic On A Bush Aide; Freepers Unload On Rush
Limbaugh; Orrin Hatch Talks About Drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
On-line "Traffic" | ||||||||||||||||||
The Washington Post reports that the Oscar-nominated movie "Traffic" is changing the way Americans think about the war on drugs. ... | ||||||||||||||||||
"In a case of policy imitating art, or at least echoing it, a Senate
hearing room yesterday resounded with pleas for a 'balanced' and
'holistic' approach to fighting drugs in which treatment and education
programs are elevated to the same importance as law enforcement
agencies charged with targeting drug producers and importers," the Post
reports. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(7) "TRAFFIC" MOVES PROPAGANDA INTO DRUG-POLICY DEBATE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Whether or not the movie "Traffic" wins the Oscar for best picture, it
still qualifies as the movie of the year, at least in Washington.
Senators and policy wonks are invoking it as the motivation for new
hearings - and a new focus on drug treatment. | ||||||||||||||||||
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. If the movie helps drug-use
prevention and treatment efforts, that's great. But before we start
basing our drug policies on the message of a single movie, we should be
clear about what that message is. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Serious addicts are simply afraid of admitting they're serious
addicts. It's humiliating to admit to a drug problem, but that's an
inevitable byproduct of our society's reasonable effort to stigmatize
drug use. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(8) JAMA INTERVIEW: TALKING WITH ALAN I. LESHNER, PHD (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Bethesda, MD -- Since Alan I. Leshner, PhD, took the helm of the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 1994, the agency's annual
budget has nearly doubled, to $781 million, supporting much of the
world's research on the biology of addiction, genetic and environmental
risk factors, and addiction prevention and treatment. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Dr Leshner: No, no. I am ferociously against polarizing the debate. I
think that's one of the terrible problems we've made with this issue.
People say that it's either a public health or a public safety issue.
The truth is, it's both. And it begins with a voluntary behavior:
people choose to use drugs. I don't call it morality, but I call it
voluntary. ... | ||||||||||||||||||
But having said that, my own view is that this tendency to polarize the
issue has stalled the issue. Now whether you can stop [illegal drugs
from] coming across the border or not, I would not pull the plug and
increase the [disease] vector. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(9) THE CRIME OF OVERDOSING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Why Some Drug Users Are Afraid To Seek Emergency Help. | ||||||||||||||||||
A few weeks back I looked out the window of my east-side Madison home
and saw flashing red lights. Four squad cars and an ambulance had
converged in front of a neighbor's residence. After a few minutes, the
ambulance loaded up someone who had difficulty walking and drove off.
But the police stayed for a long time afterwards. | ||||||||||||||||||
Was it a beating? A shooting? A knife attack? Obviously, the cops
weren't there because someone needed medical help but because a crime
had been committed. Later, I learned these two seemingly dissimilar
concepts were one and the same: My neighbor had overdosed on heroin,
and police were investigating. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(10) HOLLYWOOD IS IGNORING A VALID DRUG WAR SCRIPT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
On NBC's "The West Wing," President Bartlet sees the fight against
drugs as a lost cause and a huge waste of money. His surgeon general
has declared marijuana less dangerous than cigarettes. His staff
overwhelmingly favors legalizing drugs. Meanwhile, in the
Oscar-nominated movie, "Traffic," the new drug czar is so rocked by the
enormity of the drug problem and his own daughter's addiction that he
walks away from the job. | ||||||||||||||||||
All this makes great entertainment. But it is about as accurate as saying "The Brady Bunch" was a portrait of real life in America. | ||||||||||||||||||
The fact is, our national strategy against drugs is working. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (11-13) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
While the Houston Chronicle was summarizing the timid gains made on
behalf of 'treatment,' reform advocate (and Governor of New Mexico)
Gary Johnson, was watching the last item of his hopeful legislative
package die, stillborn. | ||||||||||||||||||
A Virginia columnist reporting on the burgeoning Oxycontin market provided useful statistics on that rarely prosecuted-- and seldom mentioned-- class of "drug criminal:" the well-to-do white "patient." | ||||||||||||||||||
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(11) MEDIA, LEGISLATORS, RESEARCH SPUR RETHINKING OF DRUG WAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON -- Hollywood, medical research and a group of new lawmakers
seem to be combining to make official Washington rethink the nation's
war on drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||
For years, government has fought the war on illegal drugs with a steely
focus on the supply: destroying crops, intercepting shipments, jailing
smugglers, arresting dealers. And for years, Congress wasn't swayed by
critics such as Sen. Paul Wellstone and Rep. Jim Ramstad, who argued
that equal effort be focused on demand -- including drug and alcohol
treatment. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(12) DRUG REFORM GOES TO POT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Legislature Adjourns Without Approving Governor's Proposals | ||||||||||||||||||
For nearly two years, Gov. Gary Johnson has spread his gospel of drug reform, calling the war on drugs a failure and urging New Mexico to become a laboratory for what he termed "harm reduction" policies. | ||||||||||||||||||
The Republican governor's crusade propelled him into the national spotlight - -- and into direct opposition with his own party. | ||||||||||||||||||
But now, after two months of intense lobbying, late-night negotiations
and heated debate, Mr. Johnson's most ambitious proposals to reform New
Mexico's drug laws lay dead in the Capitol. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(13) NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT, IT'S STILL JUST PLAIN OL' DOPE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
That which we call dope, by any other name would still get you high,
Shakespeare might've said had he been a drug addict. | ||||||||||||||||||
OxyContin - this year's name-brand bogeyman - is still just plain ol'
dope. Only it's packaged in a time-release tablet that was believed to
be less attractive to junkies. ... | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
If you ask your doctor for these pills when you could probably treat
the pain with Advil,... you're one of roughly 3 million | ||||||||||||||||||
You outnumber all of the crackheads, heroin junkies and coke freaks
combined, .... You account for roughly half of the drug-related
emergency room visits. Your pills are worth about as much as cocaine
($30 billion) each year on the illegal drug market, according to U.S.
Drug Enforcement Agency estimates. | ||||||||||||||||||
But you're probably not going to get busted - felony! - on the street
or at the airport. ... | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (14-16) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The sheer size of our prison population creates its own issues: a
Wisconsin report illustrates how important parole and probation
policies are to keeping cells full-- and also how easily they are
manipulated. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another issue of growing importance: how to deal with incipient legions of released convicts who will have served harsh mandatory minimums, but received little help while in the system. | ||||||||||||||||||
Most agree New York's drug laws are Draconian, however, the tough on
crime governor is (predictably) still having trouble selling enough
people on his half-baked 'reforms.' | ||||||||||||||||||
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(14) PROBATION STUDY SHOVED UNDER RUG (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Panel Sought Offender Options For Era Of Truth-in-Sentencing | ||||||||||||||||||
Seven months after a 12-member task force handpicked by then-Gov. Tommy
G. Thompson came up with suggestions for improving probation for the
truth-in-sentencing era, the panel's recommendations are in danger of
being discarded without ever being considered. | ||||||||||||||||||
With a burgeoning prison population expected to serve longer fixed
terms that can't be altered if penitentiaries get too crowded, an
enhanced form of probation was seen as a necessary ingredient of
truth-in-sentencing even before it took effect. | ||||||||||||||||||
However, a report from the task force told to review probation has yet
to be published seven months after completion. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(15) FLOOD OF EX-CONVICTS FINDS JOB MARKET TIGHT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
NEW ORLEANS - After a decade long surge of people into the nation's prisons, sociologists and economists are warning of a new challenge for the labor force: the steady stream of people coming out. | ||||||||||||||||||
The prison population soared in the 1990's, to 2 million from 1.2
million, and now tens of thousands of inmates are leaving prison each
year, having completed their sentences or been granted parole. Though
these ex-convicts are under pressure to find jobs and rejoin society,
labor experts say that many have become the untouchables of the work
force. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(16) WHITHER THE DRUG LAWS? (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Gov. Pataki moves ahead, but retreats as well in reform of the
Rockefeller era approach | ||||||||||||||||||
Let's take Gov. Pataki at his word, that he's committed to ridding the
state of the three-decade miscarriage of justice known as the
Rockefeller drug laws. The much-anticipated details of the governor's
proposal offer hope, then, in that they would reduce mandatory prison
terms for admittedly serious drug offenses that are outright Draconian.
Finally, judges would have the power to send nonviolent drug criminals
into treatment rather than into the prison system. | ||||||||||||||||||
So why is Mr. Pataki also proposing some harsher drug laws to go along
with the other revisions he wants? | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (17-18) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Two old stories resurfaced to further amplify the nexus between racism and the drug war: quotes in a regional paper vividly show Tulia's endemic racism-- and also how unconsciously it's practiced. | ||||||||||||||||||
In Jersey, a similar story at a much higher government level;
profiling was under investigation as an issue even while its practice
was being denied. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(17) TINY TOWN AN UNLIKELY TARGET FOR FIRESTORM OF CONTROVERSY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
The tiny, peaceful town of Tulia seems an unlikely candidate for a
battleground in the war over racial injustice and drug policy. But a
battleground is precisely what Tulia has become since 46 people - 39 of
them black - were charged in 1999 with selling drugs to an undercover
agent. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
Added to all of this is the massive drug bust controversy, normally
talked about with a hint of disdain and resentment at the toll it has
taken on the town. | ||||||||||||||||||
"There's no problem here," said Lana Barnett, president of the Tulia
Chamber of Commerce. "What we've got is a bunch of low-lifes who got
caught and are whining about it. There are some bleeding hearts in town
who have taken up their cause. Then you throw in a bunch of outside
agitators, and this is what you get." | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(18) OFFICIALS HAD PROFILING DATA BEFORE SHOOTING, TROOPER SAYS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
TRENTON, March 19 -- Almost three years after the New Jersey Turnpike
shooting that helped turn racial profiling into a national issue,
high-stakes hearings began here today with testimony by state police
officials who said the attorney general's office knew for years before
the shooting that racial profiling was a common practice in traffic
stops and searches. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (19) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
For those seeking comic relief, a story from North Carolina has an
all-too-familiar Keystone Kops quality. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(19) WHERE'S THE DOPE? POLICE LOSE 5,000 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Chatham County, N.C., sheriff's deputies seized 5,000 pounds of
marijuana in an undercover sting last year, stacked it high, called the
media and showed it off. | ||||||||||||||||||
But now the marijuana is missing, the alleged dealers have vanished, the FBI is investigating and the department can't explain what happened. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis & Hemp- | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (20-23) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Medical use battles in California continue to dominate domestic pot
news; the important trial of two growers for a San Francisco club
began in Sonoma, while Maline Hazle provided an overview of other
courtroom developments from Redding- itself a place with a
notoriously aggressive sheriff. | ||||||||||||||||||
In a related item, Steve Kubby ran true to form by challenging the
judge's sentence; stay tuned. | ||||||||||||||||||
As if to prove that California is not the only place waffling on the issue, the Globe & Mail summarized Canadian developments | ||||||||||||||||||
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(20) POT TRIAL FOCUSES ON REASON FOR GROWING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
From the prosecution's point of view, greed and profit were the heart
of an 899-plant marijuana farm in Petaluma, not kindness and compassion
for medical marijuana users. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
In stark contrast, defense attorneys portrayed the two defendants as doing noble work, helping sick and dying people in San Francisco get marijuana to ease suffering from AIDS, cancer and other ailments. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(21) LICENSED USERS BATTLE OFTEN WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Lawsuits and legal actions alleging abuses under California's
Compassionate Use Act are becoming more common as medical marijuana
users continue to balk at what they say are arbitrary rules enforced by
local anti-drug warriors. | ||||||||||||||||||
At the same time, more medical marijuana users appear to be fighting against criminal charges, rather then settling for reduced charges. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(22) KUBBY SAYS HE WON'T ACCEPT TERMS OF SENTENCING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Steve Kubby announced this week he's unwilling to subject himself to
electronic monitoring at home, acknowledging that his decision may mean
he will have to spend time in jail. | ||||||||||||||||||
Kubby was a central figure in a recently-concluded trial that was one
of the most contentious cases in Placer County history. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(23) CANNABIS OF WORMS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Putting one's house in order is all very well. But if the neighbours
don't like what you've done they can get mighty upset. Just ask the
Dutch. | ||||||||||||||||||
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear the case of a
convicted marijuana-smoker who will argue that federal prohibition laws
are unconstitutional because there is no proof the drug is harmful. If
the court agrees, Canada's hundreds of thousands of cannabis
aficionados will cheer. Equally predictable, a howl of angry dismay
will erupt from authorities south of the border. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (24-26) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Heads in the sand: | ||||||||||||||||||
Mexico's president reportedly endorsed legalization in principle on
March 18-- an item dutifully passed on by the AP on March 19. Through
March 21 morning editions, no notice had been taken by either the US
Government or the media. | ||||||||||||||||||
Another story provoking no reaction in the US: a plausible and
alarming wire service report about an increase in drug use and HIV in
Russia. | ||||||||||||||||||
U.S. "aid" continues to pour down on Colombia's Amazon basin--
herbicides delivered by helicopters. Judy Mann reviewed the details of
an environmental catastrophe. | ||||||||||||||||||
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(24) FOX TALKS DRUG LEGALIZATION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Struggling with the corruption and violence caused
by drug trafficking, President Vicente Fox (news - web sites) says the
solution might be to eventually legalize drug use. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
"That's right, that's true, that's true," the newspaper Unomasuno
quoted Fox as saying. | ||||||||||||||||||
But the president quickly qualified that statement, saying Mexico could not move alone and indicating he did not expect such a step soon. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(25) RUSSIA RINGS ALARM BELLS ON DRUGS, HIV SURGE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov drew a catastrophic
picture Tuesday of rocketing drugs use in Russia and warned the trend
put the country's future in jeopardy. | ||||||||||||||||||
Drug addiction was spreading fastest among young people and brought
deadly diseases such as AIDS (news - web sites) in its wake, he said.
Drugs-related crime was also on the rise. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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(26) WAGING CHEMICAL WARFARE IN COLOMBIA (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
In the name of the war on drugs, the United States is spraying hundreds
of square miles in Colombia with tons of herbicide in a grotesque
magnification of a crop-eradication program that no prudent backyard
gardeners would use on their suburban quarter-acre. | ||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
74% Say Drug War Being Lost | ||||||||||||||||||
The "Drug War Report," the Pew Center's research on attitudes regarding
drug policy is located at: | ||||||||||||||||||
Additional information is available at: | ||||||||||||||||||
The questionnaire with the overall breakdown of results is at: | ||||||||||||||||||
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Drug Policy Forum of Illinois Sets a Great Example of State-Based Activism | ||||||||||||||||||
A terrific example of a well organized state focused group is the newly
organized Drug Policy Forum of Illinois. | ||||||||||||||||||
DPFIL is using the resources provided by DrugSense/MAP to full
benefit. These services are provided at no charge by DrugSense/MAP to
any regional or issue specific group that would care to take advantage
of them. | ||||||||||||||||||
The DPFIL web site is well designed and includes a news feed of articles generated in Illinois, a link to the collection of published letters to the editor generated by volunteers and published in Illinois newspapers, an email chat list to encourage easy communications among individuals statewide that have an interest in drug policy issues, a number of items of regional interest and a national news feed. | ||||||||||||||||||
Please check it out and perhaps consider forming a similar group if you
are not already involved with one. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Hats Off To Narco News and Al Giordano | ||||||||||||||||||
Al Giordano of Narco News has again hit a couple of homers. Narco News seems to have been among the first to report on two important developing stories in Mexico. The first (item 24 above) is the phenomenal (and very under reported in the U.S.) fact that Mexican President Vincente Fox acknowledged the failure of our current drug policy and began discussing legalization as a viable alternative. | ||||||||||||||||||
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The second was the article "Federal Police Chief Proposes Legalizing
Drugs in Mexico to Solve the Narco-Trafficking Problem" | ||||||||||||||||||
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MPP featured in The Washington Post Magazine | ||||||||||||||||||
It isn't often that MPP is in a position to offer some humor to you... | ||||||||||||||||||
I thought you might enjoy the full-page feature on MPP that appeared
on March 18 in The Washington Post Magazine, which is distributed in
the weekend newspaper to more than 1 million influential policymakers
and other citizens in the D.C. area: | ||||||||||||||||||
While some MPP members and friends didn't like the light-hearted
nature of the column, I personally liked it, because it portrays MPP
as serious and down-to-business, especially in comparison to the humor
columnist who wrote the piece. | ||||||||||||||||||
Enjoy ... | ||||||||||||||||||
Rob Kampia | ||||||||||||||||||
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
Our National Schizophrenia / by Tom O'Connell | ||||||||||||||||||
For several weeks, the theme of our "Policy" section has been the Bush Administration's reticence to even discuss drug policy; no drug czar has been nominated, a tough on drugs AG has been muzzled, and the new administration has clearly taken pains to say nothing quotable. | ||||||||||||||||||
The reason behind that reticence was revealed today (March 21); the New York Times carried an AP report on a Pew Survey of national attitudes towards the drug war conducted in February. What it reveals is nothing less than national schizophrenia: three quarters of Americans see the drug war as a failure which can never succeed. Nevertheless, most see no alternative to its dominant strategies of "interdiction" of drugs and incarceration of both dealers and users. The AP report also reports that the public is slowly moving toward the idea that drug use is a "disease" and that "treatment" should be emphasized over incarceration. | ||||||||||||||||||
The White House was quoted as looking for the "right blend" (presumably of incarceration and "treatment") in developing its drug strategy. They are clearly using the same tactics they scorned Clinton for: crafting a policy that at least seems to conform to public opinion. | ||||||||||||||||||
As is starkly apparent from the poll, that's an impossible task. Given
the mind set of those now in power, their most likely tactic will be to
pay lip service to their own definitions of "prevention and treatment"
while continuing to arrest an ever increasing number of people for
"drug crime." Dispositions may become a bit more lenient; the cosmetic
use of drug courts may increase, but the real power of government-- to
arrest, and extract a plea-bargained felony conviction-- will remain
undiminished. | ||||||||||||||||||
The drug policy reform movement is at a crossroads; should we warmly
endorse any softening (real or apparent) of drug enforcement, or should
we expose the absurdity of our national schizophrenia? Just as
interdiction strategies (source country control, crop substitution,
interception, crack downs on money laundering, certification, etc.)
received widespread endorsement and funding when first announced, we
are likely to hear similar high hopes for new strategies of "prevention
and treatment." The principal difficulty is that there are no
successful models to suggest either will work; especially within a
setting of criminal prohibition. | ||||||||||||||||||
Indeed, we have extensive experience with a failed prevention program:
D.A.R.E. was consuming seven hundred fifty million dollars a year and
failing. When that failure could no longer be denied, its sponsors
agreed to accept a "new script;' yet it's still not acknowledged that
no successful "prevention" model- one persuading juveniles to resist
the blandishments of either legal or illegal agents- has ever been
demonstrated. | ||||||||||||||||||
The same caveat applies to "treatment." Demonstrating that "treatment"
is cheaper than a long prison sentence is not the same as showing that
"treatment" of users will bring about everyone's new favorite goal of
"demand reduction." | ||||||||||||||||||
The erroneous assumptions underpinning present policy, together with the deliberate distortions engaged in by those who defend it are largely responsible for the public's confusion. That an overwhelming majority see the drug war as a failure that can't be fixed represents a major opportunity for reform. It's clear that a continued policy of criminal prohibition reliant on impossible goals of "demand reduction" won't succeed either. The time to say that is now; we shouldn't allow a grossly mistaken policy to adopt a false benign coloration. | ||||||||||||||||||
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||
"When the day comes that it is time to adopt the alternative of lifting
punishment for consumption of drugs, it would have to come all over the
world. Humanity some day will see that it is best in that sense."
-- Mexican President Vicente Fox | ||||||||||||||||||
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