PROFESSOR TO VISIT KODIAK SUGGESTS REGULATION, NOT PROHIBITION, TO FIGHT LOSING WAR ON DRUGS

A nonprofit group of current and former members of the law enforcement
community who believe existing drug policies are failing brings its
controversial message to Kodiak this week.

Michael Gilbert, associate professor of criminal justice at the
University of Texas and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition,
or LEAP, will present his talk, “The Drug War: Is it Working?” Friday
through Sunday at Fishermen’s Hall in the Harbormaster’s building.

“Our goal is to educate the public about the real issues. The war on
drugs is not working and can never work,” Gilbert said. “We’ve been
fighting this war for 40 years, and we have no progress to show for
it. If there was going to be progress, we should have seen it by now.”

Gilbert said LEAP supports legalization and regulation of the drug
trade rather than prohibition, because it believes the government
would then be able to control access to drugs, distribution, potency
and purity. However, Gilbert said the group does not advocate drug
use.

“We want to lower drug use by legalizing and regulating it. We do not
support drug use. We want to make it more difficult to get,” he said.
“To lower drug use, you’ve got to legalize and regulate it; take
control of it.”

Gilbert compared regulation of the drug trade to regulation of alcohol
and tobacco, which he called “the two most destructive drugs.”

“You don’t see drive-by shootings over alcohol or tobacco,” he said.
“You don’t have 5-year-old kids buying cigarettes. We want to regulate
all drugs like we do with alcohol and tobacco.”

LEAP’s mission statement says, “(Current drug policies) have failed in
their intended goals of addressing the problems of crime, drug abuse,
addiction, juvenile drug use, stopping the flow of illegal drugs into
this country and the internal sale and use of illegal drugs.”

The group cites the safety of law enforcement officers and suspects,
police corruption and misconduct and “the financial and human costs
associated with current drug policies” as reasons for regulation
rather than prohibition as a more effective strategy for dealing with
the problem.

Gilbert, who has done extensive research on drug enforcement, is on a
speaking tour of Alaska sponsored by the Alaska Drug Policy Forum.

Gilbert’s presentation lasts about 45 minutes, followed by questions
and discussion.

The three days of presentations will be tailored for each of three
special interest groups.

Friday at 7:30 p.m., those involved in the corrections business
receive a special invitation. Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. presentation is
geared toward educators and Sunday at 3 p.m., Gilbert will speak to
religious groups.

Each talk is open to the public, but the three invited groups will
have the opportunity to pursue their own specific interests.

The Kodiak Unitarian Fellowship is sponsoring Gilbert’s visit as part
of its Special Action Program.

“The problem of drugs in this country can be dealt with,” Gilbert
said. “It can be managed. We’re fighting a very selective war on
drugs, and it’s not working.”