ZERO TOLERANCE RHETORIC

How effective can drug courts be when they rely upon forced coercion?
In order for treatment to be truly effective - and not necessarily
preceded by an arrest - legislators are going to have to tone down the
zero tolerance rhetoric of the drug war. Zero tolerance attitudes
discourage the type of honest discussion necessary to facilitate
treatment. Driving illicit drug addiction underground is
counterproductive and only compounds the problem.

We're making a big mistake by criminalizing illicit substance abuse.
Imagine if every alcoholic in America were denied treatment due to
lack of funds. Now take that one step further. Imagine if every
alcoholic were thrown in jail and given a permanent criminal record.
How many lives would be destroyed? How many families torn apart and
career aspirations shattered? How many tax dollars would be wasted
turning potentially productive members of society into hardened criminals?

Substance abuse is a public health problem that requires the healing
hands of medical professionals, not punishment at the hands of law
enforcement. Increased treatment options like drug courts are a step
in the right direction, but until peace is declared in the failed drug
war the success of treatment will be limited.

Robert Sharpe, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, George Washington
University