Pot times July 15, 2005
Letter Exposes Futility of Laws On Drug Abuse
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1113/a02.htmlNewshawk: DPF Florida http://www.dpffl.org
Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 LETTER EXPOSES FUTILITY OF LAWS ON DRUG ABUSE
Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Palm Beach Post
Contact:
letters@pbpost.com
Website: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333
Author: Stephen Heath
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1036/a09.html?92754
A letter-writer offers a welcome criticism of public drug policies in Florida
and much of the United States ( "Don't jail drug abusers; treatment is the
answer," June 26 ). The foundation of our flawed drug policies lies
in the irrational definition of what constitutes a drug abuser. In
government-speak, any use of illegal drugs defines one as an abuser.
Thus, well-intentioned drug treatment programs are forced to handle a relentless
flow of clients who are not addicted or having real substance-abuse issues but,
rather, simply were caught by police in possession of small amounts of drugs.
This forces those in legitimate need to wait, often for years, for the chance to
get the help they need to be productive citizens.
To echo the writer, I know that taking otherwise law-abiding citizens who
possess illegal drugs and forcing them into the criminal justice system gives
them a problem that lasts a lifetime. That's carrying a permanent criminal
record. It's bad policy for either casual users or even true abusers.
Millions of people have demonstrated that one can overcome an addiction with
help. But millions of others likewise have shown that it's far more
difficult to overcome a conviction, especially if it is a felony in states such
as Florida.
STEPHEN HEATH
PR director
Drug Policy Forum of Florida
Clearwater
PB Post Editor's note: The Drug Policy Forum of Florida, a not-for-profit
organization with about 200 members that serves as a national clearinghouse for
people seeking information on alternative drug policies, supports reform of
state drug laws.
