VOTE 'NO' ON QUESTION 8

The ways in which Massachusetts deals with the damage that illegal drugs do
to vulnerable lives can always stand improvement, but the proposal in
Question 8 on the Nov. 7 ballot is definitely not the way to go. If passed,
it would take the state a long way down the road to back-door legalization
of every kind of dangerous drug.

Question 8 ostensibly would expand drug-treatment programs and would devote
fines and the proceeds of asset forfeitures (which would be made more
difficult) to a fund to finance treatment programs.

But if passed it would open a loophole for drug dealers to escape
punishment by claiming to be "drug-dependent" persons entitled to treatment
instead of punishment after being charged with not just a first drug
offense, but a second offense as well. This is carrying the "give 'em a
break" philosophy to ridiculous extremes.

Granted, a judge would have to agree to the determination of being
drug-dependent, but there is a boatland of lenient judges in the courtooms
of the commonwealth who'd jump at the chance. And what is the point of
giving the treatment option to people charged with dealing less than an
ounce or less of cocaine? Dealers will keep dealing, even while under
"treatment."

Take a look at the treatment fund. The proposal says it is supposed to
supplement, not replace, other sources of funds, but money would come out
of the fund by legislative appropriation. It flies in the face of
experience to think this would increase funds for treatment. Since one
dollar looks exactly the same as any other dollar, the Legislature would
treat these funds as free money usable for anything, and would decide how
much to devote to treatment as it did before.

Every single district attorney in the state opposes this initiative, which
is supported by billionaire speculator George Soros, a major backer of
efforts to legalize marijuana in other states. But this proposal is not
limitied to marijuana - it would apply to all illegal drugs, even the most
dangerous. We urge all who are worried about the damage drugs can do to
vote "no" on Question 8.