NO LIGHT AT THE END OF DRUG WAR TUNNEL

Vaunted Battle Against Illegal Narcotics Boasts No Easy Answers

Vale ­ Based on capitalism and fueled by a seemingly eternal thirst
in America, the war to eradicate illegal drug use may be un-winnable,
even as state, local and federal authorities pour millions into the fight.

The stakes are arguably higher and the consequences most severe in
rural areas of America plagued by high poverty and unemployment. And
law enforcement officials are not just battling illegal syndicates
that push the illegal substances but a concept as old as the America
itself: capitalism.

It (illegal narcotics trafficking) has become a business. And there
are different levels of the commercial aspect of it," Malheur County
Undersheriff Brian Wolfe said.

The drug war is not about arresting the lone dealer any longer in
rural counties like Malheur. Instead the war on drugs is a
multi-tiered campaign firmly rooted in the ethos of supply and
demand. And it is all about business for some.

The price fluctuates, the quantity of it and it is an enterprise,"
Ontario Police Department Lt. Mark Alexander said.

While the drug war for many rural American is often isolated to the
television or described in magazines and books, the reality of
illegal narcotic use is evident even on main street USA and so is its impact.

Crimes associated with illegal narcotics ­ such as burglaries ­ weave
throughout the fabric of a particular community, creating ripples of
misdeed that force businesses and taxpayers to provide cash to repair
the damage.

When you have these folks who are addicted to whatever the drug may
be and then they start burglarizing homes or shops and stealing
property, that costs the community a lot of money," Wolfe said.

The link from one kind of crime to another is evident, Alexander said.

If you have a burglary or a lot of fraud crimes, you can tie them
back to people's use of illegal drugs," he said.

That link, in turn, is a key piece of the illegal narcotic paradigm
for many law enforcement agencies.

It (combating drug crimes) is a priority because it fuels a lot of
other crimes. Alcohol and drugs fuel the majority of our crimes,"
Alexander said.

Once a crime and, with it, drug use hits home, Wolfe said,
perceptions often change.

It is not a big deal if I read about in the paper. But now, if one of
my kids is addicted to meth and they are out there stealing things or
sentenced to prison, then that affects my family," Wolfe said.

Years after the renowned "war on drugs" began, solutions to the
problem remain elusive.

I wish I had the answer. I do think there are some answers. The drug
courts seem pretty successful for those who qualify for that.
Education is important. I think one place where we need to work hard
is reaching out and educating the first-time user," Wolfe said.

Wolfe said, though, that solving the illegal narcotic issue will take
unified action across the spectrum of a community.

Churches, schools, families, law enforcement. Treatment providers.
All of those must do things to prevent it and they are. But maybe we
need to work on it a little more," he said.

Another issue is accessibility to some illegal drugs. Marijuana in particular.

In Oregon, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is a
violation. We could write those tickets all day long because there is
so much of it, and it is pretty easy to come by," Alexander said.

Awareness is also a key, Wolfe aid.

Until you've experienced what it can do to people, meaning a job like
ours where you see it first hand, see it affecting family members or
friends, it really doesn't hit home," he said.