Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ) Copyright: 2000 Pulitzer Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.azstarnet.com/ Author: William R. Coonce Note: William R. Coonce is deputy director of the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking program. DON'T LEGALIZE DRUGS Hardly a week passes without someone on your editorial staff or a guest author espousing drug legalization/decriminalization. The rationale is: Law enforcement does not work, and drug treatment should be provided in lieu of jail for drug users. Why do we buy into the illogical "red-herring rhetoric," pervading the print media today, that declares drug laws and drug law enforcement as the problem? Drug use and its consequences are the problem, not the laws or incarceration. The vast majority of drug users who are in jail are there for drug-related crimes, such as theft, burglary, forgery, etc. Most are repeat offenders who have previously been offered treatment and probation in lieu of jail and continue to break the law to fund their drug habits. Drug education, treatment and law enforcement make up the "three-legged stool" that addresses the problem of drug use in America today. These efforts must be mutually supported, not only by the professionals who have expertise in these areas, but also by the media and the public. The most effective treatment programs we have in this country today are "sanctions based," i.e., go to jail or enter treatment. This concept is integral to Drug Court here in Pima County. Without the threat of sanctions, most hardcore addicts do not seek treatment. This is a fact. I offer the following on why drug legalization should not be considered: * Drug use and drug addiction in America will increase substantially. Do we want our commercial pilots, heart surgeons, teachers, police officers and legislators to be incapacitated or impaired while carrying out their job duties? If drugs were legalized, workplace drug use restrictions would become moot. * What do parents do when their children announce they have made the personal decision to use drugs? Don't think for a minute that the solution here would be a minimum age restriction. The black market would prevail. * The highway carnage inflicted by drunk drivers will substantially increase by adding drug users into this mix. Additional costs and complications would accrue to our over-burdened criminal justice system. * Drug treatment and education programs would be well-funded, but oxymoronic, in view of a legalized drug environment with no consequences. Our public schools will continue to deteriorate, and high-tech companies will not be able to staff their payrolls with qualified workers. Our military strength and international leadership will be drastically weakened, as well. In an America where drugs are legalized, either the government or private enterprise would supply the drugs - at a dollar cost, of course. Either would be sued for product liability in a manner similar to the tobacco debacle, and more drug users will commit crimes to get money to buy drugs. Please don't suggest the federal government (i.e., taxpayers) provide the drugs free of charge! There is no "sound bite" solution to the drug problem in this country, nor is there any benefit or logic to demonizing law enforcement. We can legitimately debate the amount of money and emphasis that should be spent in each of the three disciplines of education, treatment and enforcement, but all three must be mutually supported. We should be open to "alternative" strategies to add to this arsenal, as long as these proposals are designed to reduce drug use in America, not increase it. In my view, the objective is to give our kids the best possible private or public education we can provide. They need to see and learn principles of integrity and character, which include being responsible and accountable for their actions. I see no place for legalized drug use in this equation. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager