Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jul 2007
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Asheville Citizen-Times
Contact:  http://www.citizen-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863
Author: Justin Powlison

ASHEVILLE CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT TAKE ON SCOURGE OF ILLEGAL DRUG ADDICTION

I applaud Councilman Carl Mumpower for continuing to fight the good 
fight against illegal drugs in the city of Asheville. He stands up 
for what he knows is right, even when it is unpopular, even when he 
is mocked in editorials and political cartoons in the local papers. 
Other members of City Council seem more concerned with "reducing 
carbon footprints" and building greenways near the French Broad 
River. They ignore a festering problem as drug dealers from as far as 
El Salvador and as close as Atlanta victimize our fair county, as 
does the tragedy of human addiction.

They grasp at high-minded "being needs" while large numbers of people 
suffer in squalor in practically barricaded ghettos of public 
housing, replete with shootings and open-air drug deals. The 
"projects" of Asheville are not the only concern; meth labs in north 
Buncombe County and drug dens in Swannanoa all contribute to a sad trend.

Legalization no answer

There are some libertarian-minded conservatives who argue that 
legalizing such hard drugs would solve all of our problems.

This is absurd. There are plenty of legal and semi-legal drugs 
equally devastating lives. Some are even prescribed.

And drugs do not affect only the users, but entire families, 
neighborhoods and the foundations of society that drug use places 
strain against. As a primary care provider for in-crisis youth in 
this city, I see firsthand how drugs destroy lives (of the "innocent" 
and "guilty" alike). I have a front row seat to the fallout.

Are adults capable of making choices that affect their own health?

Perhaps, but it is never that simple. Even if it were not for the 
collateral damage (which will always exist), addiction and the 
psychological/physiological damage caused by drugs rob people of 
their ability to make rational choices. Gambling and sexual 
addictions are also troubling.

Addiction's blight

Such legalization-minded thinkers, in my opinion, haven't tasted 
enough of the "reality on the ground" and their idealism is not 
helping to alleviate the very real troubles our community faces.

They are an opponent of practical progress as much as the politicians 
who would prefer to ignore the drug problem altogether. If ignored, 
it will only get worse.

Come to beautiful Asheville. Watch a Tourists game, then walk two 
blocks and buy a gram of heroin.

Serious action needed

As a self-described consequentialist libertarian, the economist 
Milton Friedman argued that every drug should be dealt with as a 
separate issue. Shoplifting, bank robberies and grand theft auto are 
all theft-issues dealt with, prosecuted, and prevented in different ways.

Perhaps marijuana, Vicodin abuse, meth, crack, ecstasy and other 
substances should be viewed and dealt with as separate issues.

That was Friedman's theory and it is hard to say how such a thing 
would shake out as a practical policy. Create a semiautonomous task 
force for each major substance category? Obviously, manpower and 
money is limited.

Always. But creative thinking and courageous action are essential in 
Asheville's fight against drugs. Dr. Mumpower has been a positive 
force in this fight, and sometimes a lone voice crying out in the 
wilderness of public policy.

Justin Powlison moved to Asheville after receiving his B.A. in 
psychology from Cal State-Los Angeles. He works at a shelter for 
youth in crisis and plans to pursue a PhD.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom