Pubdate: Wed, 12 May 2010
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2010 The Washington Times, LLC.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Author: Kara Rowland
Referenced: The 2010 National Drug Control Strategy 
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/strategy/

OBAMA CHANGES ANTI-DRUG POLICIES

The Obama administration unveiled a new drug-control policy Tuesday 
that emphasizes community-based prevention and the role of doctors in 
screening for drug problems, signaling a shift in strategy while 
continuing to embrace key tenets of the decades-old war on drugs.

But while the strategy outlined Tuesday represents a new tack on 
several fronts, supporters and critics of the drug war alike agreed 
it's not a major departure from previous administrations.

"When push comes to shove, they're making a few little steps and 
giving lip service in the direction of a public-health approach, but 
you can still see their knee-jerk reflex is to focus on law 
enforcement and supply-and-control strategies that have never worked 
well in the past," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the 
Drug Policy Alliance, a group devoted to ending the federal drug war.

The White House's first anti-drug plan calls for prevention at the 
local level through mentoring programs and education initiatives, not 
just for children, but also for their parents at the workplace, as 
well as expanding treatment programs from specialty facilities to 
community health centers. The policy also lays out a series of 
five-year goals that include cutting youth drug use by 15 percent, 
drug-caused deaths by 15 percent and instances of "drugged driving" 
by 10 percent.

Obama drug czar Gil Kerlikowske billed the strategy as "a balanced 
policy of prevention, treatment, enforcement and international cooperation."

The administration has already taken some steps to reform drug 
policy, repealing a long-standing ban on federal funds for 
needle-exchange programs aimed at preventing HIV and deferring to 
states that pass laws allowing medical marijuana. Mr. Obama has also 
asked Congress to amend federal law so that sentencing guidelines 
treat crack and powder cocaine the same.

As a candidate for the Senate in 2004, Mr. Obama described the war on 
drugs as an "utter failure" and suggested the country look at 
decriminalizing marijuana, but he has consistently sided against 
legalization as president. Indeed, the White House policy stresses 
that the administration "firmly opposes the legalization of marijuana 
or any other illicit drug."

While Mr. Nadelmann lauded some of the administration's efforts, he 
likened changing U.S. drug policy to "trying to turn around an ocean 
liner." He said the administration's budget reflects a continued 
emphasis on prosecution and imprisonment, as opposed to tackling drug 
addiction as a health issue.

At the other end of the spectrum, Calvina L. Fay of the Drug Free 
America Foundation praised the administration for "still embracing 
the comprehensive approach with prevention, treatment and law 
enforcement all having a role to play."

In particular, Mrs. Fay said she was pleased to see a focus on 
educating parents in the workplace, where they're a captive audience, 
as well as efforts to curb substance abuse among prisoners.

But she said she was disappointed at what appeared to be a lack of 
emphasis on random drug testing in schools. "From what we've seen, 
that's been a very effective approach not only in intervening ... 
it's been a tremendous deterrent."

The Obama plan also includes a push to screen patients early for 
signs of substance abuse, even during routine appointments, and the 
expansion of prescription-drug monitoring programs. It also calls for 
more international cooperation in disrupting the flow of drugs and 
money, as well as promoting alternative career paths for farmers 
abroad who grow coca and opium. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake