TREAT, DON'T JAIL, DRUG USERS

The so-called war on drugs was lost long ago. Every U.S. city is
infected by the virus of illegal drugs. Bloodshed, mayhem, destroyed
families and lost lives are increasing. If you don't believe it, just
read the newspapers, magazines and TV reports that are being seen more
often. The U.S. continues throwing vast sums of money at the problem
which just gets worse. Solutions are available and at great savings
over current policies. Most of our legislators are afraid of the issue
thinking that if they propose alternatives they will be put down as
soft on crime.

We must take the incentives out of illegal drug sales.

Vast monetary incentives drive drug pushers and traffickers. Our
current policies are driving those illegal drug prices higher leading
to greater incentives to push. Addicted users will pay any price or do
anything to get the money to feed their addictions.

The solution is in treating as medical/health problems addictions to
the so-called hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and
methamphetamines. We should put addicts on government provided,
physician directed plans such as methadone treatment or safe doses for
their fix.

The drugs provided are pure, uncontaminated, below lethal overdose,
and therefore safe. The addict can be balanced to the extent she or he
can hold a job, pay taxes and take care of family responsibilities.
Many studies have demonstrated great cost advantages of treatment over
incarceration.

Insofar as the nonaddictive psychoactive drugs such as marijuana, no
one has ever died of an overdose.

Pushers, however, should always be treated as criminals.

Many in Illinois prisons are users, not pushers. The thrust should be
to remove the incentives that drive illegal trafficking.

Many states are making marijuana legal. The Illinois Senate has
approved medical marijuana. The House has yet to act. Prohibition of
alcohol did not work and alcohol is a far more dangerous and addictive
substance than marijuana. Marijuana is far less a health problem and
it too could be controlled and taxed.

The time has come for real changes in Illinois and U.S. drug policies.
Prohibition never worked and neither will the war on drugs.

Robert M. Gerhold

Wheeling