LOCKUP ISN'T BEATING DRUGS; LET'S FIND A BETTER STRATEGY

Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore and new dean of Howard Law School,
often asks: "Does anybody think we have won the war on drugs?" No one, he
says, raises a hand or offers a "yes".

He continues: "Do you think we are currently winning, about to turn the
corner?" Again, no takers. "Do you think if we keep on doing the same
things we are doing in this war on drugs that we will eventually win?"
Silence. "Anybody interested in talking about alternatives?" And the
response is an overwhelming "yes!"

Increasingly, judges, law enforcement officers, social workers, clergy and
folks on the streets are dissatisfied with current drug policy. After
spending billions of dollars and arresting so many folks that we now have
the highest incarceration rate in the world, more drugs are available to
more people than ever before.

More than 450,000 of the two million people currently incarcerated in the
United States are serving time for nonviolent drug-related charges. People
convicted of felony drug charges are not only imprisoned for longer
sentences than many convicted of violent crimes, they also become
permanently ineligible for educational loans and several other government
assistance programs. In addition, because of the felony drug conviction,
millions have lost the right to vote. Two million children have a parent in
prison and many of these children are in foster care.

While most drug users and abusers are white, two-thirds of those in prison
are racial and ethnic minorities - and this figure is as high as 80-85% in
some states. The drug war is a war on some drugs and some people,
disproportionately affecting African-American and Latino communities.

As people of faith - Muslims, Jews, Christians and others - we cannot
remain silent. The time has come for us to combine prayer with the hard
work of seeking justice, healing and restoration. We must challenge and
change public policies that treat addicts as criminals to be incarcerated
instead of brothers and sisters in need of treatment.

Treatment works. A study by the Rand Corp. concludes: "Treatment is the
most effective way to reduce violent crime. . Treatment is seven times more
cost effective than domestic drug enforcement in reducing cocaine use and
15 times more cost effective in reducing the social costs of crime and lost
productivity."

National community organizations, Christian denominations and Jewish
alliances have recently released "Eight Steps to Effectively Controlling
Drug Abuse and the Drug Market," calling for an end to the current war on
drugs. This statement outlines alternatives to our current drug policy,
urging investment in programs that work instead of interdiction and law
enforcement which account for two-thirds of the drug war budget. Treatment
for addiction, the statement argues, should be available like any other
health service.

Changing drug policy is an urgent issue for all faith communities. We
cannot allow so many human beings to be treated as expendable, and we
cannot continue to spend resources on programs that do not work.

If you are concerned about saving taxpayers' money, creating safer
communities, challenging laws that unfairly target people of color and
those who are poor, improving public health and offering possibilities for
rehabilitation and recovery to those who are caught in addiction, please
join us for a national interfaith gathering Dec. 8-10 at Scarritt-Bennett
Center here in Nashville.

"Let My People Go - Religious Leaders and Drug Policy" is sponsored by
Religious Leaders for More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy along with
Vanderbilt Divinity School, American Baptist College and the
African-American Studies Program at Vanderbilt. Presenters include: Walter
Wink, Nancy Hastings Sehested, Will Campbell, Dr. David Satcher, Sharda
Sekaran and Ethan Nadelmann as well as people who have been directly
affected by the current drug policy. For a complete listing of speakers
please visit our Web site at religiousleaders.home.-mindspring.com.

The conference begins Sunday evening Dec. 8 and ends at noon Dec. 10.

Space is limited, so register soon by calling Religious Leaders, 327-9775
or e-mail religiousleaders-@juno.com.

The Rev. Janet Wolf, director of public policy and community outreach for
Religious Leaders for a More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy, is an
ordained United Methodist clergywoman.