Inadmissible

TAPPING INTO THE DRUG MARKET

Former Gov. Brendan Byrne has an answer to America's drug problem:
decriminalize marijuana and make use of heroin and cocaine a disorderly
persons offense, with fines of $50 to $100 per offense. Then take the
billions of dollars saved on enforcement and pump it into education and
treatment.

On New Jersey Network's "Due Process" show, to air Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.,
Byrne says it's time to stop "tolerating politicians whose only solution
... is to increase the penalties and make the sentences mandatory." Byrne
says the country needs to acknowledge that drug laws fail to stop drug use.

Byrne, who as Essex County prosecutor chased his share of dealers and
users, takes off on the "whole group of people who have an interest in
keeping drug laws tough ... the people who run the prisons, who run law
enforcement. There are a huge number of people engaged in chasing drug
addicts and drug dealers."

His foil on the show, Robert Del Tufo, the former U.S. attorney and state
attorney general, agrees with allowing marijuana for medical purposes and
putting more resources into education, prevention and treatment. But he
stops short of endorsing decriminalization of pot. And as for making heroin
use a disorderly persons offense, "it's just out of the question."

Asked how he would have sold such policies to the Legislature, Byrne
responds: "I had the need to educate the Legislature on the need for an
income tax," he says. "That's even tougher than drugs."