DRUG PLAN NEEDS LONG-TERM SUPPORT

On June 9, the Statewide Drug Control Assessment Summit added finishing
touches to recommendations that were to be included in the summit's report
on the widespread problem of illegal drugs in Kentucky.

Many of our recommendations stemmed from the summit's 16 public meetings,
which were held throughout the state since February. Meetings included more
than 180 hours of public testimony from a cross section of Kentuckians.
Other recommendations came from panels of experts in the fields of
prevention/education, treatment and enforcement.

One common concern among citizens and panel members involves the lack of
coordination between law enforcement, treatment and education entities.

As part of a comprehensive long-term drug control strategy, Kentucky needs
an independent office that would be referred to as the Office of Drug
Control Policy. Similar independent boards have been created in other
states, such as Florida, to curb the illegal drug trade and to administer
drug policy.

To ensure the implementation of the summit's recommendations, the Office of
Drug Control Policy should be an independent body with board members
appointed by virtue of their offices or expertise in their fields.

The implementation of the strategy would also require stable, long-term
funding. My proposal to realize this funding is to add 6 to 9 cents to the
cigarette tax in Kentucky. Virginia recently enacted a raise in its tax,
which is consistent with the national trend.

Kentucky's cigarette tax is the lowest in the nation. The new revenue from
such a tax increase would be appropriated by the General Assembly and
divided equally among education/ prevention, treatment and enforcement.
This would provide $14 million to $21 million in dedicated funding for each
of the individual entities.

Based on the testimony given to the panels, consistent drug laws and
sentencing guidelines should be enacted by the General Assembly. The
Kentucky Commonwealth Attorneys Association should be called upon to
formulate these laws and sentencing guidelines for the General Assembly's
consideration.

The laws and guidelines should grant latitude to the courts in dealing with
what we have identified as "addicts" and mandate that those involved in the
distribution systems be held accountable. These include traffickers,
pushers, doctors who overprescribe and companies that provide "precursors,"
or ingredients, for the manufacture of illegal drugs.

I commit the full resources of the attorney general's office to addressing
Kentucky's illegal drug problem. We will not rest until we have taken our
state back.