'WAR ON DRUGS' CONFERENCE GOT THE ISSUE WRONG

The recent the "War on Drugs" conference held in El Paso was a dismal
failure and merely an effort to push the pro-legalization agenda.

Pro-legalization advocates, including Beto O'Rourke, have argued that
the nation's current war on drugs has been a complete failure. This
is simply not true.

While not perfect, there have been several successes: Today, there
are fewer people using drugs in the U.S. than 30 years ago. Overall,
drug use has decreased by 30 percent in the last 20 years, while
cocaine use has dropped by 70 percent.

A study by the University of Michigan, "Monitoring the Future,"
showed there were approximately 900,000 fewer eighth-, 10th- and
12th-graders using illegal drugs in 2008 than in 2001. These
successes are a result of a comprehensive strategy of prevention,
treatment, and enforcement.

Legalization advocates argue that jails are full of people charged
with possession of only small amounts of marijuana. According to the
Bureau of Justice, of the 1.2 million prisoners in the United States,
80.4 percent are incarcerated for offenses not involving drugs. Less
than one-half of 1 percent are jailed for marijuana possession only.

Legalization would be taking a step backward from the successes
already achieved. The fact that marijuana is illegal is one of the
main reasons why many people do not use it in the first place. In a
national study, 76 percent of respondents stated a main factor in not
using drugs, especially at a younger age, was the legal sanctions.

Many drug users are in treatment today because of the "power of the
bench." They are court-ordered to undergo treatment instead of jail time.

Marijuana is not a benign substance. In 2004, over 39,000 teenagers
between 12 and 17 were treated in emergency rooms for
marijuana-related causes. O'Rourke has used the medical marijuana
dispensaries in California as an example of successful control of
marijuana distribution. However, the Rev. Scott Imler, co-founder of
California's medical marijuana law that allowed the medical marijuana
dispensaries, has stated, "We created Proposition 215 so that
patients would not have to deal with black-market problems, but today
it is all about the money. Most of the dispensaries operating in
California are little more than dope dealers with store fronts."

O'Rourke and other conference participants contend that legalizing
marijuana will eliminate the violence in Juarez, Mexico. This is
absurd. The cartels are fighting each other and against the
disruption of smuggling operations by the Mexican Government.

The Mexican cartels are criminals and thugs who will not allow
legalization to prevent them from making money. If drugs are
legalized in the U.S. and sold under government control, be assured
that the Mexican drug cartels will sell to U.S. consumers at a lower price.

A comprehensive approach of prevention, treatment and enforcement is
the key in the fight against drugs. This conference should have
focused on how we can continue to make improvements in these areas
rather than giving up the fight and calling for the legalization of marijuana.

Our children deserve better; El Paso deserves better. O'Rourke, in
calling for the public to exert pressure on our elected officials to
legalize marijuana, has stated: "As evidence, I point to the 3,200
people who have been killed in Juarez."

I say to you, Mr. O'Rourke, as evidence against legalizing marijuana
and other dangerous drugs, I point to the countless Americans and
their families whose lives have been destroyed by drugs and the over
38,000 Americans who die from drug overdoses each year.

Robert Almonte is executive director, Texas Narcotic Officers
Association and El Paso police deputy chief (retired).