COURT SHOULD ADDRESS CAUSES OF DRUG ADDICTION

The Tioga County Drug Court currently under consideration is definitely a
step in the right direction, but an arrest should not be a necessary
prerequisite for drug treatment. Fear of criminal sanctions compels many
problem drug-users to suffer in silence. Would alcoholics seek help for
their illness if doing so were tantamount to confessing to criminal
activity? Toning down the tough-on-drugs rhetoric would encourage the type
of honest discussion necessary to facilitate effective drug treatment.
Mandatory drug tests do nothing to address the underlying causes of
addiction. When contemplating drug courts, Tioga legislators need to
remember that relapse is part of recovery. Coerced treatment strategies
that rely on jail cells as health interventions may do more harm than good.

Imagine if every alcoholic were thrown in jail and given a permanent
criminal record. How many lives would be destroyed? How many families torn
apart? How many tax dollars would be wasted turning potentially productive
members of society into unemployable ex-cons?

ROBERT SHARPE
PROGRAM OFFICER
DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE
WASHINGTON, D.C.