DISPATCH FROM THE OTHER WAR: OH, YES, THE ONE ON DRUGS

REMEMBER that other war? The one on drugs? Oh, yeah, that. Seems like only
yesterday we were worrying that it wasn't going so well. Maybe because we
were trying too hard to fight it the wrong way.

Today there's a bit of good news on the home front, which is where illicit
drugs really have to be fought, and the campaign to make their use
unacceptable ultimately won.

Twelve more folks just graduated from the drug court in Fayetteville. That
means the graduates completed nine months of therapy, counseling, drug
tests and meetings--a rigorous schedule designed to free them from their
addiction to drugs. Not everybody accepted into the program makes it
through. But these twelve did, and their success provides hope for the
other ninety participants in the program that they can make it, too.

Mary Ann Gunn, the judge of the drug court, shed her judicial temperament
to share the moment with the grads. She hugged 'em and talked about how
hard the graduates had to work to change their lives. The moment must have
been a satisfying one for her, since she sees a lot of other folks passing
through her court who aren't able to make the break with their previous
lives and ruinous habit.

Judge Gunn even had the state's drug director, Bill Hardin, on hand to make
a commencement speech--as this was the start of a whole new life. Which is
just what everybody hopes this ceremony will be.

Mr. Hardin told the graduates that they've become examples for others: "If
this program works for you, others will want in."

This program in Washington County is only the second in Arkansas, and has
been operating for about a year and a half. Its success is now inspiring
others. Arkansas will spend $800,000 to start more drug courts in
Texarkana, El Dorado, Magnolia, Fort Smith, Van Buren and Benton County.

Drug court is a rigorous program, and failure to follow its rules extracts
a price. Eligibility is limited to those facing non-violent, non-sexual
charges involving drugs. Defendants accused of being drug dealers need not
apply. This program isn't for them.

If a defendant completes the nine-month program successfully, charges are
dropped. If defendants don't make it through the program, their cases are
set for trial. Not graduating has some real consequences.

The war on drugs won't be won in the foreign countries, where so much of
the drugs consumed here come from. The battles beyond our borders to
control the influx of illegal drugs make entertaining fodder for the
movies, or a Tom Clancy thriller. But it's here at home where victory will
be achieved. And it will come over time, like the victory over terrorism
that is only beginning to take shape in our collective will, our patience,
our determination. We'll need those qualities in this war, too, but the war
on drugs is a personal one, waged one person at a time.