DRUG CZAR

Record Of Bush Nominee Anchored In Losing Strategy

President George W. Bush has spoken often -- on the campaign trail and
since taking office -- about the need to treat drug users and decrease the
demand for drugs instead of always attacking the supply side.

But his actions belie the promise of those words, that the United States
would finally adopt more reasonable drug policies.

Last week, Bush named John P. Walters as his new drug czar. As the top
deputy in the drug office of the first Bush administration, Walters has
experience and expertise in this area. But his philosophy is misguided.

He earned his reputation by advocating aggressive, expensive military
action against countries and cartels that bring illegal drugs into the
United States. He strongly advocates mandatory minimum sentences that lock
up low-level drug abusers for decades and even lifetimes for first offenses.

He believes in the wide scale incarceration of young, poor drug abusers and
dealers, and is extremely critical of drug treatment and rehabilitation
programs.

"John Walters not only hates drug addictions, he hates drug addicts, and he
certainly hates drug users who are not addicts," said Eric Sterling,
president of Criminal Justice Policy Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Sterling was the House Judiciary Committee's staff expert on drug policy
from 1979 to 1989.

Even Gen. Barry McCaffrey, drug czar under former President Bill Clinton,
expressed serious concerns that Walters won't pay enough attention to drug
treatment and prevention.

Based on his record and rhetoric, Walters' approach to dealing with the
drug crisis is wrong. Such tactics have contributed to the
multibillion-dollar prison system, under which the United States locks up
more of its own people than any other country in the world -- with little
impact on drug use.

When Walters goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee, members need to
carefully review his record and pointedly question his willingness to take
more forward-looking steps to stem the drug tide. If he's not, they should
demand a more enlightened nominee. esterling@cjpf.org Eric E. Sterling
Telephone 202-312-2015 Fax 202-842-2620 Cell phone 202-365-2420

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -- attributed to Margaret Mead