REFORMS IN DRUG ABUSE POLICY DEBATED

The need for reforms in chemical dependency treatment was discussed at
the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma meeting Wednesday in the Wellness
Center.

Guest speaker Roland Treat, director of the Starting Point II
substance abuse program in Stillwater, said he wants to see the
federal government deal with drugs in a more sensible way.

"I would hope that the emphasis for treating addictions is recognized
policy-wise in the United States," Treat said. "We need to put more
resources and efforts into prevention and treatment of substance
abuse. I think there has to be some efforts from law enforcement as
well, but we need to look again at the formula and put resources into
lessening demand for these substances."

Starting Point II is a program certified by the state and funded by
the United Way of Stillwater and the Oklahoma Department of Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Services. Treat said Starting Point II is
an entry-level treatment center and also acts as an outpatient clinic
after rehabilitation from drug use.

"We perform assessments, schedule appointments and offer affordable
services to the community," he said. "If a patient has no income, we
do not charge them for service."

Treat said Stillwater is a college town and draws many students from
all over the state and other countries. He said drug problems here are
no different than at other schools.

"People are away from their homes and looking for things to do," he
said. "But if you compare this university and this town and compare it
to other college communities like ours, we are no better, no worse."

Kitty Davis, special graduate student, said she and some classmates
saw the advertisement for the meeting and wanted to get a better idea
of how drugs were affecting the real world, as opposed just reading it
from a book.

"I think we've got to change our perspective on how we look at the
addiction instead of treating this like a crime and punishing it," she
said. "We need to help these people out soon and the current system
isn't working."

Treat said he doesn't believe the current system of locking abusers
into jail cells is working and changes need to be made to increase
effectiveness.

"When people have non-violent charges and don't do criminal acts with
their addiction, they need to be funneled into community substance
abuse programs that offer them options in treatment," he said. "There
also needs to be a probationary period so they can be allowed some
time to change - and in a more extensive way than we do now.

"I'd like to see less money put into filling penitentiaries with
non-violent, repeat substance abusers. Then, if they neglect or refuse
to seek treatment, the next option would be to enforce swift and sure
jail time."