Pot times
Drug Abusers Need Treatment, Not Jail Time
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1097/a05.htmlNewshawk: Empower Activists http://www.mapinc.org/donate.htm
Pubdate: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 DRUG ABUSERS NEED TREATMENT, NOT JAIL TIME
Source: Gainesville Sun, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Gainesville Sun
Contact:
voice@gvillesun.com
Website: http://www.sunone.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/163
Author: Stephen Heath
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm
(Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm
(Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm
(Treatment)
An increasing number of smarter public policy makers aptly note the inane system
of caging non-violent offenders, notably those people found in possession of a
short list of politically incorrect drugs.
The abuse of drugs is a very real and pressing problem. But the damage
done to individual drug abusers and to society is far outweighed by the longer
term damage done to both when we saddle a drug abuser with time in the state
jail or prison system.
More lasting damage is guaranteed when the offender must carry a lifetime
criminal record, though he has no history of directly harming another person or
property.
As a recovered abuser of both cocaine and methamphetamine ( clean 11 years )
I've learned that with sufficient desire and help anyone can overcome an
addiction. But far fewer people are able to overcome a criminal record,
especially if that record contains drug possession felonies.
It's time to reprioritize our public response to the very real problems of
substance abuse and at the same time curb the ever-expanding county jails and
state prisons in Florida.
We need to stop arresting drug users and instead provide qualified drug
treatment programs on demand for those people who need them. Such
treatment should be made available for any drug causing significant abuse,
whether it be cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, alcohol or tobacco.
STEPHEN HEATH
Public Relations Director
Drug Policy Forum of Florida
( http://www.dpffl.org ) http://www.dpffl.org
Clearwater
