DRUG CZAR MUST UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF ADDICTION TREATMENT

Advocates of sensible drug policy were pleasantly surprised this year
when Albany Republicans joined Democrats in agreeing that New York's
harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws are not helping New York solve its drug
problem. The ensuing debate has focused on shifting New York's focus
from treating drugs simply as a criminal problem, but also as a health
problem.

While we are still working out the details, both the Assembly and the
Senate have called for increased funding of drug treatment as a
counterpart to reducing Draconian sentencing laws. Yet, as New York
takes a giant leap forward, there is cause for concern the President
George W. Bush's selection of John Walters to replace Gen. Barry
McCaffrey as drug czar could be a step back.

As indicated in the Times Union's recent editorial, Walters' history
suggests his basic approach to the drug problem is "lock 'em up and
toss away the key" and "send in the Army" to cut off supply. He
paradoxically has claimed that the problem of drugs is a "supply
problem" because drugs are "so attractive to people that some people
will give up everything in their life to consume them." Walters'
latter statement, of course, suggests that the problem is one of
demand. Mr. Walters has spoken derisively about treatment and the
notion that addiction should be treated as a health problem and not
just a criminal problem.

While Walters has said that "hard-core users are mostly beyond the
reach of drug-treatment professionals," his predecessor, Gen.
McCaffrey, recognized studies by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration that indicated that treatment prevented "a
gigantic amount of damage to American society. ... It certainly works
better than locking them up."

The evidence strongly support's Gen. McCaffrey's views. An influential
report issued by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
at Columbia University concluded that 96 percent of the $ 81.3 billion
spent by states to deal with substance abuse "went to shoveling up
the wreckage of substance abuse," with only 4 percent directed toward
more efficient treatment and prevention programs.

While Walters seems to be an odd choice for drug czar amid the
atmosphere of the bipartisan, progressive approaches being taken by
states like New York, there is some reason to hold out hope. Some of
Walters' defenders, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy
G. Thompson, claim that Walters is "more balanced" than his
reputation suggests. Balance is the key.

Though the states are leading the way, we look to the new drug czar to
spread the word about what works and bolster the federal government's
commitment to a more balanced approach.