Pubdate: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 Source: Post and Courier, The (Charleston, SC) Copyright: 2011 Evening Post Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.charleston.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/567 Author: Mary Horres Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) DRUG CRIMINALIZATION DOESN'T WORK The League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area thanks The Post and Courier and Thomas Ravenel for bringing public attention to the important issue of widespread illegal drug use. We think the public needs a fact-based understanding about drug use and related government policy, including an unbiased consideration about whether the criminalization of drug use has made the problem better or worse. Recently our Charleston Area League members decided to educate ourselves on these matters. Before the League of Women Voters adopts a position on an issue, we are required to investigate all sides of the issue with an open mind. Therefore, in 2010 we did a year-long study on illegal drugs in South Carolina. We started with a public program featuring Charleston and North Charleston police chiefs Mullen and Zumalt, who spoke in favor of drug prohibition; a retired former police chief who argued for drug legalization; and a former drug addict who had spent time in prison. Over the next months we researched many aspects of drug issues, including the extent and cost of public drug use, the unequal funding and effectiveness of drug courts, drug use in state prisons, racial effects of drug arrests, availability of treatment and much more. Our final study report, called "Mapping the Elephant: Illegal Drugs in South Carolina," is on-line at our League's web site at www.lwvcharleston.org. Based on our study and discussions, our Charleston League concluded that the current policy of expecting criminalization to stop people from using and selling drugs has not and will not work. Billions of dollars have been spent, and prisons have been filled many times over, but the percentages of the U.S. population addicted to drugs in 1914 and in 2004 are the same -- 1.3 percent. During those 90 years, the street cost of nearly all drugs dropped, and drug purity increased. And, experience has proved that a drug user can get over an addiction, but a person with a prison record can never get over a drug conviction. We know there is no perfect solution to the drug problem. Some people, regardless of the dangers of drugs and legal penalties, will always be foolish enough to use drugs. Based on our study, the Charleston League (but not the state or national leagues, which have no positions at this time) reached consensus on a number of positions related to specific areas of drug policy, and these can be found in the study report. Our central overriding conclusion was that illegal drug use should be considered a public health issue, and drug addiction should be addressed by substance abuse treatment programs instead of incarceration. We invite you to read our study on-line and make up your own mind based on the facts about this critical but neglected public issue, and then advocate for or against policies as you feel appropriate. MARY HORRES President League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area Pignatelli Crescent Mount Pleasant - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom