STATE FACES ITS DRUG PROBLEMS

Massachusetts has one of the highest drug and alcohol abuse rates in the
nation, and is ranked first for Oxycontin and heroin use. It's about time
the commonwealth got serious about its drug problems. This week, Lt. Gov.
Kerry Healey unveiled a proposal to increase funding for prevention
and rehabilitation services, and the state Legislature seems likely to
approve some version of the plan in the near future. The
Romney Administration's new plan emphasizes drug use in schools. High
school and middle school students are just one demographic group among the
substance-abusing population, but they are an important group. Young
people tend to be less committed to their drug habits, and more able to
break their habits, than those who have been addicted longer. And in the
controlled environment of school, they are more easily identified. We
don't support the Romney Administration's proposal to encourage drug
testing of high school students. We believe random drug testing is
excessive and punitive, and assumes students are guilty until proven
innocent. We do support treatment for convicted substance abusers. The
current responses to drug abusers - usually either incarceration or parole
with drug testing - have little impact on the long-term problems.

Unfortunately, the administration's proposal does not include enough
funding to provide drug treatment for every substance abuser who wants to
stop. Healey said the requested budget appropriation of $9.1 million would
help 6,000 to 8,000 more drug users get rehab services.

But a recent Brandeis University study estimated that 40,000 Massachusetts
residents sought drug abuse treatment last year, but were denied because
of a lack of resources.

Although the current plan is not enough, it is a step in the right
direction. The first step is for Massachusetts to stop denying its drug
and alcohol problems, and to seek a permanent cure.