JUDGE SPEAKS AT DRUG POLICY FORUM

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma attacked the "War on Drugs" at the
forum's meeting Wednesday night in the OSU Wellness Center.

Organization members criticized U.S. drug policy and said it is
ineffective, doing more harm to the public than good.

"It is wrong to be filling prisons with people whose only crime is
that they are addicted to drugs," said Ron DuBois, organization member.

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma was formed in 1998 as a grassroots
movement seeking alternatives to current drug policy.

The guest speaker at Wednesday's meeting was Payne County Associate
District Judge Robert Murphy.

Murphy has been a district judge in Payne County for five
years.

His topic of discussion was "The interpretation of drug laws from a
judicial perspective."

Murphy spoke about the Payne County Drug Court and jury sentencing in
trials.

The Payne County Drug Court sees cases in which defendants are
first-time offenders for drug possession.

Payne County was one of the first counties in the United States to
have a drug court.

Murphy said drug courts emphasize rehabilitation as opposed to
incarceration and harsh punishment.

"Some inmates claim that drugs are better and more plentiful in jail
(than outside of prison)," Murphy said.

Murphy said that during his tenure as judge, "the drugs of choice in
the Payne County area have changed to methamphetamines and kids have
changed more to inhalants such as gold paint."