ANTI-DRUG PLAN HOLDS PROMISE, WITH REPAIRS

Florida Wants To Do A Lot More Than "Just Say No" To Drugs.

The ambitious goal of state drug czar James McDonough - to cut drug use in
half within five years - is pure fantasy. But his plan for a balanced attack
that emphasizes education and treatment over punishment is a long way from
the state's earlier chaotic anti-drug tactics.

There's a lot to like in this half-billion dollar plan. The Legislature
would fund more than $358 million of the cost, with the rest coming from the
federal government. About 60 percent of the money would go on the treatment
side of the ledger. Some of it would pay for more than 9,400 new abuse
treatment beds. About $1.4 million would be spent to treat drug-addicted
infants. An additional $39 million would be used to encourage teen-agers to
avoid the most accessible drug - tobacco.

This emphasis on treatment is especially important since the state estimates
only about 20 percent of the 700,000 people who are addicted to illegal
drugs can get the help they need. Only about one in four young people are
able to get into a government-funded treatment program. It's even harder for
them to get help if they are using drugs but haven't been arrested for a crime.

On the law enforcement side of the ledger, the plan would create eight new
state attorneys and public defenders, with four more positions in the Office
of the Statewide Prosecutor, to handle drug cases. Central and South
Florida, which have been particularly infested with drug dealers, would get
three new drug enforcement units. And drug courts, which direct non-violent
offenders toward treatment, would get an additional $330,000.

But the Legislature needs to look closely at two troublesome parts of this
plan. One would eliminate the right of defendants in drug cases to depose
law enforcement officers. There are several things wrong with this idea.
Eliminating depositions could end up wasting prosecutors' time if they take
cases built on weak evidence to court. The public also ought to be able to
see what evidence police had when cases are settled by plea bargaining, as
many are. Although the provision is intended to cut the time police officers
have to spend giving depositions, the risks don't warrant that gain.

The other troublesome idea is giving tax breaks to businesses that require
random drug tests for employees. Many companies already do this to enforce
their own anti-drug policies. The state could encourage those efforts
without using tax dollars for private business subsidies.

The main challenge with this plan may be keeping the emphasis on education
and treatment. The Legislature has a long-term addiction to harsh punishment
instead of rehabilitation for everything from youthful crimes to sexual
offenders. If Gov. Jeb Bush and McDonough can keep the Legislature focused
on education and treatment, they may be able to turn the corner on the
state's surging drug problem.