HANDLE DRUG CASES DIFFERENTLY

After initially reading a recent letter in WHT advocating the discontinuance
of the marijuana eradication program, I was at first certain that the author
was rather poorly trying to make the point that the time and energy spent on
marijuana eradication would be better spent attempting to eradicate the
"ice" problem.

Either that or he was attempting to write something humorous.

In either case, he failed to make his point and, regrettably, as I read on,
I realized that the article must have been drafted by a loyal disciple of
Timothy Leary, and that he must have been under the influence of some
mid-altering substance to believe that a rise in the use of one illegal drug
can be blamed on and justifies the elimination of a program designed to
reduce the growth and use of another illegal drug.

Yet that is apparently what he believes for the essence of the article was
that if marijuana was more readily available people wouldn't be turning to
another drug, in this case "ice."

Such convoluted thinking, one that ignores moral, health and legal
considerations, as well as educational, parental and civic responsibilities,
is no solution.

In reality, it is part of the drug mentality that rose out of the '60s and
remains the source of the problem today. It also fails to take note of the
many studies that show that the frequent use of marijuana often leads to the
use of harder drugs.

However, if you are looking for a solution to the drug problem, you might
give some serious thought to taking another tack.

What we do or do not do in life is based upon our learning and that is
predicated upon the risk-reward factor. We learn that if the risk is small
and the reward correspondingly greater, we tend to do it. Conversely, if the
risk is considerably greater than the anticipated reward, we tend not to do
it. Therefore, if we increase the risk and reduce the potential reward to
using illegal drugs, we should be able to reduce those stupid enough to be
involved in their use in the first place.

I suggest that we incarcerate first-time users for 60 days ­ those who are
arrested, or those who need treatment, for the first time ­ and put them in
a treatment program for the duration that they are in custody.

This would remove them from their current environment, where they obviously
weren't learning right from wrong, and allow them to get straight.

The second time caught or needing treatment they would be confined for a
period of 120 days; the third time for a year. After that they would be
habitual users and sentenced to jail for an extended period of time.

For their own safety and general well-being, children of habitual users
would be remanded to child welfare while the parent(s) are in custody and
permanently placed in foster care once the parent or parents have been
sentenced to prison terms.

Growers, manufacturers, dealers are a more serious problem and need to be
dealt with more harshly, for they spread the disease of addiction without
remorse or a care for the lives they destroy.

All get 10 years, with no probation, for the first offense, along with
confiscation of all illegally gained possessions.

Twenty years for the second offense, plus confiscation; again no probation.

Life without the possibility of parole for the third offense.

In order to make all those with a propensity for using illegal drugs aware
of the law here in Hawaii, these penalties would be published far and wide,
in every school, at all airports, and on the mainland, so that all know the
risk one takes using illegal drugs in Hawaii and that if they must they
would be wiser to do it elsewhere. Then these harsh laws need to be
enforced, without exception, with no one to be treated more leniently,
regardless of the circumstances and whether or not they are politicians,
members of a law enforcement agency, or family, relatives, etc.

Now, while this might seem to some a little draconian, you can't win this
war against drugs with "aloha." The time is long past for a drug user to
stand up and say, "I did wrong and won't do it again, so please slap me on
the wrist, give me six months probation, and let me go back to the same
environment that allowed me to mess up my life and the lives of all those
who love me." Tough times require tough solutions.

If this tough approach were to be implemented, after a relatively short
period of time I can guarantee you wouldn't have a serious drug problem here
in Hawaii, your children would be safer, the streets would be safer, and the
haven for drug users that now exists in Hawaii would case to exist.

Of course, you may have a lot of people behind bars, and that is costly; but
not as costly as the thousands of auto thefts, home intrusions, store
burglaries, purse snatching, bank robberies, spousal and child abuse, and
mayhem and murder that now exists throughout our state.

To our more compassionate citizens, I say that you needn't feel sorry for
these people. Remember that it is their choice that will put them in jail.

No one forces someone to use drugs. It is simply a wrong choice that one
elects to make.

If they make that wrong choice, under newer, harsher penalties, they would
knowingly take the risk of using and dealing and get the reward they fully
deserve: years, or a lifetime, behind bars.

*Viewpoint articles represent the view of individuals in our community and
do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper.*

John P. Ackert

Kailua-Kona