CUTTING SUPPLY ONLY ONE BATTLE IN DRUG WAR

They've done the math. It's historic. It's mind-boggling. It says a
lot about the demand for illegal substances in Brown County.

The 1,355 pounds of marijuana seized in Green Bay last weekend would
fetch $2.2 million on the street, police say. They're not
exaggerating. They've had enough undercover agents in the field to
know what the stuff costs.

Ask Lt. Tom Molitor, Green Bay's top drug enforcement officer, who's
buying all this marijuana. He answers with one word,
"Everybody."

The big picture

If that seems far-fetched, think about it. Do the math. More than a
half-ton of marijuana was trucked here. It wasn't sent to make rope.

"I've been in the police department for about 22 years," Molitor said.
"Even as a detective, I never had an awareness of how much dope was
out here."

For 31/2 years, Molitor has been assigned to the Brown County Drug
Task Force. He uses the words "absolutely shocked" to describe what
he's seen of the local illegal substance culture. He admits that
looking at the big picture can be frustrating.

Clearly, if the so-called war on drugs is being lost or fought to a
stalemate it's not because law enforcement is losing a lot of battles
around here.

The investigation that led to the largest marijuana bust ever in Brown
County began in February. That's quick work. Some operations can last
for years before shutting down dealers who would have access to 1,355
pounds of marijuana.

The intensity level of police work seems to do little to deter people
willing to sell illegal substances.

"We got information just last night that somebody's bringing 70 pounds
in tonight," Molitor said on Friday.

If there weren't a market for these substances, there'd be little
reward for the risk taken by sellers.

"You have to take a look at this whole issue of drugs in the community
as one of supply and demand," Molitor said. "You have a tremendous
demand base here."

This is where frustration can set in. Police can do their job. They
can knock over vendors left and right. Yet there are still thousands
of would-be buyers.

It's simple, as the lieutenant sees it: "If you didn't have this
tremendous amount of demand, these people wouldn't be able to sell
this crap around here."

For this reason, Molitor is not convinced that it makes sense to place
sole responsibility for winning the war on drugs on law
enforcement.

Social responsibility

"Half of the mission, obviously, is to attack the supply side," he
said. "But equally as important is what we do on the demand reduction
side."

Social tolerance of drug use is a fundamental obstacle to shutting
down dealers from what Molitor has seen.

"Those thoughts about people just saying no has to permeate every
place of employment, every business, every school and every family,"
he said. "It's not happening now. I mean, it's a total failure on the
demand side."

Such a stark pronouncement might seem overly pessimistic to some. But
realists would have to agree the demand is out there, especially if
they do the math.