SON'S ADDICTION LEADS TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST 'DRACONIAN' DRUG POLICIES

Ron duBois is a man on a mission.

His mission is to educate people about drugs and how current drug laws are
failing miserably. "I am a firm believer in coming forward to tell your
story," duBois said.

"I have been burned by the treatment of my son and I am pissed off about
it." duBois said his 39-year-old son is addicted to opiates and the drug
laws in this country have ruined his life. "Once you are in trouble with
the law, your life is ruined," he said. "These are people with addictions,
they are not criminals."

duBois said the people punished by drug laws are people whose brains have
been permanently changed and affected by their addictions. "Having an
addiction doesn't mean you are a bad person, but that is how our nation
acts and how they treat the addicted," duBois said. "Addicts are not cured
through punishment."

duBois, along with Michael Pearson, founded the Drug Policy Forum of
Oklahoma in 1998. The forum, which duBois describes as a "one-car garage
organization that is trying to expand," was set up to educate people about
drugs.

"Kids are taught all through school that all drugs are created equal," he
said. "They are told that marijuana is as bad as heroin. Then they get out
into the world and find out that's not true and then they think everything
they've been told is misinformation."

duBois said there are many studies that show marijuana is less addictive
than cigarettes and coffee — both of which are legal. He said legislators
constantly ignore these studies because anyone who even gives them a second
glance is committing political suicide. The forum would like to see
Oklahoma's marijuana laws changed. "Oklahoma is famous for its draconian
laws against growing pot for medical use," duBois said. "I equate it with
the witchcraft trials of Salem." duBois said

America's "War on Drugs" is a lot worse than Prohibition. "Prohibition laws
were always against the suppliers and not the individuals," duBois said.
"That was a good thing and it still failed."

Most people think that duBois' organization is about legalizing
recreational drugs but that's not the case. He would like to see addicted
people become productive citizens again — a goal he says can't be achieved
under current laws.

"These people can't function under regular circumstances," duBois said.
"But, they can function if they get their dose. So why not reform the laws,
give them their dose and get them back into society where they can work and
live?"

duBois said he is forced to drive his son to Oklahoma City and Tulsa for
methadone treatments because there are no local clinics.

"Our laws force these people to steal to get their daily dose," duBois
said. "We promote crime when we force them to do what they have to do to
get their dose, when all we have to do is just give it to them."

He said many countries around the world have chosen to restore their
addicted people and make them productive in society by treating them
medically with the drugs they need.

"If drugs were legal, they would be harder to get a hold of and a lot
easier to control," duBois said. "As it stands right now, drugs are out of
control — you can get any drug you want anywhere and that includes right
here in Stillwater."