DRUG WAR IS HELL, BUT THAT'S NO REASON TO SURRENDER

In the war on drugs, the new battle cry appears to be, "Retreat. Retreat."

Given the casualties and failures of this never-ending war, retreat is an
understandable choice. But by all means, let's not surrender.

A couple of bills in Olympia, Senate Bill 5419 and House Bill 2003, make up
the drug reform proposal backed by King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng that
is receiving some surprising support from the law enforcement community and
the court system. The bills would basically reduce prison time and replace
it with mandatory drug treatment.

All along we've been waging war against an enemy that doesn't care what the
consequences are. Being a prisoner of war (or a prisoner in our court
system) is not -- for many -- an incentive to surrender or change
behaviors. One might argue that if prison isn't incentive enough, how will
drug users be motivated to attend treatment?

Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart said he supports Maleng's ideas because
"the only way we're going to make any kind of impact on the use of drugs is
to give more treatment." He also knows drug offenders are not going to go
voluntarily.

"There needs to be some hammer over their head," to get them into
treatment, Bart said.

Re-examining our approach to the drug war is smart. Declaring that prison
sentences are a total failure and that treatment is the only real route,
sends mixed messages to drug users and others. It allows the user to point
the finger of blame at the judicial system while evading personal
responsibility. We need a balanced approach that combines compassion with
accountability.

Maleng's proposal has the potential to flourish or flounder, depending upon
approach and application. It should not be used as a first step toward
legalizing drugs. Some jail or prison time should still be applied to
convicted drug users -- along with mandatory treatment. But that's only
half of it.

What happens after treatment is the real key to whether a drug user
survives or fails. Just as alcoholics have support groups they attend the
rest of their lives, drug users need a similar system, Bart said.

Communities must develop these systems. That's why treatment programs must
be created by many groups -- law enforcement, social services, the medical
profession and the court system. And, what about faith-based groups? Many
of these organizations are out there applying these principles right now.
They should be included, too.

We must stop putting all our energy into eradicating drugs and start
holding individuals accountable while providing treatment and a supportive
environment for the rest of their lives. No matter what we do, this war
will never end. We will always be fighting it because drugs will always be
available. That may sound like a negative message, but it is not hopeless.
We must change our mindset and brace ourselves for the long haul. After
all, war is hell.