Pot Debate

POLICE BLAME DRUGS FOR MANY CRIMES

Lt. James Sartell of the Hollis Police Department has been a police
officer for 15 years. He has made hundreds, maybe even thousands of arrests.

When it comes to theft or burglary, he says, the motive invariably is the same.

"Drugs," he said. "Basically, without exception."

With the recent high-profile arrest of Hollis farmer David Orde and
his son, Andrew Orde, for possession of several marijuana plants,
many people in the area again started talking about the War on Drugs,
the legalization of marijuana and the repercussions of using and possessing it.

As the case against Orde and his son lingers in the courts, several
New Hampshire lawmakers are again filing legislation to decriminalize
marijuana. This latest legislation would allow marijuana use for
medicinal uses, similar to measures in Maine and Vermont.

During the last election, voters in Massachusetts took a bolder step,
reducing the offense of marijuana possession from a misdemeanor to a
violation. Possession of less than an ounce gets you a $100 fine.

Up here in the land of "Live Free or Die" license plates, possession
of less than an ounce of marijuana will get you a night in handcuffs
and a date in front of a judge.

Waging war

First used in 1971 by President Nixon, the term "War on Drugs" has
been a crucial talking point ever since.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the federal
government spent more than $19 billion in 2003 on the War on Drugs at
a rate of about $600 per second. State and local governments spent
another $30 billion. The budget has since been increased by more than
a billion dollars.

Simple marijuana (cannabis) possession is the fourth most common
cause of arrest in the United States, according to the FBI, costing
$7 billion annually. An American is now arrested for violating
cannabis laws every 38 seconds.

But how do law enforcement personnel feel about the time, money,
energy and stacks of paperwork surrounding the drug war in which the
country has been involved for decades?

Sartell says marijuana can cause "cognitive distortion," leading to a
justification of illegal or immoral activities, which in turn allows
the user to commit crimes such as burglary or theft in order to feed
subsequent drug buys.

"That's one of the main 'gateway' aspects of pot," he said.

Sartell sees "the environment as the key factor" in drug use and
experimentation.

"Are the kids supervised?" he asked. "Do they have a parental
presence keeping tabs on them?"

Sartell was asked if he feels a futility in his participation in the
War on Drugs; whether the "catch-and-release" aspect of arresting
repeat offenders is frustrating.

"To me, it isn't about rehabilitating individuals," Sartell said.
"It's about quality of life for that dealer's neighbor, for that
community. Seeing a police presence, knowing that we are trying to
make a difference, that their concerns are heard and considered . . .
that's what it's all about."

'The broken window phenomenon'

Sartell discussed "the broken window phenomenon":

"You deal with little problems before they escalate into big ones.
The kid that tortures animals grows up to be violent to people. The
kid that smashes mailboxes escalates to more serious vandalism. It's
the same with the War on Drugs."

Sartell has seen real results stemming from "being a presence" in the
lives of wayward youth.

"I've told some of them, 'I'll be stopping by (your house) from time
to time, checking up on you. Believe it.' And knowing that I mean it,
seeing my commitment to it, has made a difference in their lives.
I've even been thanked by some of them," he said with a chuckle.

But not all police officers feel the effort is worth it, in cost of
dollars, manpower hours, court appearances and bottom-line results.

Bradley Jardis, of Hooksett, is a police officer in Rockingham County
and "the only active-duty rank-and-file law enforcement officer in
the country" who is a speaker for LEAP: Law Enforcement Against
Prohibition, he said.

"As you can imagine," he said, "it makes me sort of a black sheep."

Founded more than six years ago along the same concept as Vietnam
Vets Against the War, LEAP is made up of current and former members
of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who speak out
about what they believe are the failures of existing drug policies.

"Those policies have failed, and continue to fail, to effectively
address the problems of drug abuse, especially the problems of
juvenile drug use, the problems of addiction, and the problems of
crime caused by the existence of a criminal black market in drugs,"
states their Web site, www.leap.cc/cms/index.php.

From addiction to incarceration

Patrolman Jardis is passionate about the work he does with the
organization, but stresses that in no way do he or his compatriots
condone drug use.

"A lot of people in my profession mistake the position of LEAP," he
said. "We do not believe that drugs are good for you - everybody
knows drugs are bad. But the current policy of turning all users into
criminals begs an interesting question."

Former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama "have both
admitted to using cocaine," Jardis said. "The difference between them
and the person who got caught is that the person got caught.

"Would these two men be in the same positions they're in today if
they'd been caught? They'd be felons."

Jardis believes poor personal choices shouldn't condemn someone to
being a criminal for life. He believes more money should go to
prevention and education, such as DARE programs, rather than the War on Drugs.

"As we say in LEAP, 'You can get over an addiction; you can't get
over a conviction.' If you're 16-year-old caught with drugs, you're
tried as an adult and turned into a lifelong criminal," Jardis said.
"This policy ruins people's lives."

Lt. Jeff Bukunt of the Youth Services Division at the Nashua Police
Department, points out that this isn't necessarily the case, at least
in Nashua.

"Many first-time offenders are sent to counseling via a
court-diversion program, where they attend meetings and must complete
a meaningful project" in lieu of jail time, he said.

This gives them the opportunity to bypass the court system and may
keep them from going deeper into the juvenile court system, Bukunt says.

The Youth Council (www.theyouthcouncil.org) is at 112 W. Pearl St.,
and it offers parents and kids counseling in group or individual
settings. Fees are charged by income, and it's a good resource for
parents, Bukunt says.

"Treatment is a successful way to approach (drug use), but
enforcement is proven to be an effective way, especially with
juveniles," Bukunt said.

Bukunt is dedicated to protecting school-age children from getting
involved with drugs.

"The dangers are even greater in juvenile use," he said, "because
they're still growing, developing, learning and deciding on the paths
they'll follow as adults. Marijuana usage creates a loss of interest
and apathy in everything - school, work, family - and sets kids up
for a lifestyle revolving around using and obtaining drugs."

Bukunt puts forth some sobering statistics: "Drug-using adolescents
are three times as likely to attempt suicide; the linkage to crime is
indisputable; the majority of runaways we deal with are marijuana users."

Curiosity or to fit into a certain social group are usually the main
reasons youngsters try drugs in the first place, Bukunt notes.

Prescriptions for trouble

There is some good news on the War on Drugs: Although Bukunt says "we
have made arrests of possession and sale of marijuana" at Nashua
schools, Bukunt quotes a recent youth risk behavior survey of high
school students by the state Department of Education showing that
there has been a slight decrease in drug use since a spike in
reported marijuana use in 2003.

His biggest concern is that some "parents have been lulled into
thinking that marijuana is a 'safe' drug, say, in comparison with
alcohol or harder drugs. It's anything but safe."

Bukunt points out that the marijuana some adults smoked in their own
youth had a much lower THC level of 2 percent to 3 percent, as
compared with today's levels that can be 12 percent or higher, and
that this can be extremely destructive to children and their safety.

Teen driving is a prime example.

"Add marijuana to (teen) driver inexperience, now affecting their
ability to concentrate, be alert and their reaction time," Bukunt
said. ". . . Marijuana stays in your system 24 hours after smoking."

The Youth Services Division also is seeing legal prescription drugs
as a big issue.

They "have always been a problem," Bukunt said. "Parents need to
safeguard the prescriptions right in their own homes."

And they need to be present and active participants in their
children's lives, Bukunt says.

"Parents who set good examples and are actively engaged in their
lives are certainly going to cut down the risk of marijuana use by
their children," he said.

Lt. Scott Hammond heads the narcotics team at the Nashua Police
Department, and he has been a police officer for 22 years. He sees
drugs as a global issue.

"We've seen an increase in assaults, burglary, robbery, other
crimes," Hammon said. ". . . We're doing our part on a daily basis.
We're out there reassuring people that we're keeping our head above
water" in the War on Drugs.

Like his colleague Bukunt, Hammond says it's imperative for the
public to participate in preventing youth from starting down the road
of drug use.

"It begins with the parents," Hammond said, "along with teachers,
drug education like the DARE program. . . . It doesn't start with the
police department."

Hammond says the DARE program is working, and they have seen a
decrease in marijuana use in juveniles age 10-16.

He reiterates what Lt. Bukunt notes about educating youth: "Funnel
more money into kids, into teaching them about drugs, illegal or prescription."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Telegraph is examining the debate about marijuana
in a three-day series in print and online, including the opinions of
those who enforce the law, those who make the law and those who run
afoul of it.

Hammond stresses that the public can get involved later in the fight, as well.

"If a citizen feels that courts are handing down lenient sentences to
repeat dealers, say something," he said. "Get involved."

He notes, though, that New Hampshire does take a stronger tack than
our southern neighbor.

"You get caught with 5 ounces of cocaine in Massachusetts, you may
get to walk," Hammond said. We treat these things seriously here."

[Sidebar] The Pot Debate((

How well is the legal crackdown on marijuana working: Is it a good
way to reduce drug abuse, or a waste of money? These stories look at
the issue, examining the opinions of those who make the law, those
who enforce it, and those who run afoul of it.

Visit The Telegraph's Pot Debate page for an archive of all articles
in this series.

[Sidebar]
On the net:((

For a graphic representation of the monetary and human costs of the
War on Drugs, check out the "War on Drugs Clock" at
www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm.