Pubdate: Mon, 16 May 2011
Source: Morning Sun (Mt. Pleasant, MI)
Copyright: 2011 Morning Sun
Contact:   http://www.themorningsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3938
Author: Ed Fisher
Note: Ed Fisher is a member of the Morning Sun Editorial Board.
Bookmark: http://www.drugsense.org/cms/geoview/n-us-mi (Michigan)

WE NEED TO FACE REALITY OF NATION'S DRUG USE

Recent events show that we have a problem in mid-Michigan. It is also 
a national dilemma. The United States is the world's largest market 
for narcotics at $35 billion annually. Tons of illicit drugs pour in 
daily. Why the United States? That's where the money is.

That problem, locally, goes with scant notice until there is a 
terrible consequence.

"It's the university! Everybody knows that them Aphid Batta Kite frat 
boys all take drugs; And they drink whiskey; And get all them co-eds 
knocked up!" Well, there are a small number of college students who 
take drugs, drink, and carouse. That is one leg of the tripod here in 
central Michigan.

"It's the Tribe! Everybody knows how free they are with them monthly 
checks. Who knows how they spend all that money?" I imagine most of 
the money goes to pay bills and a little into savings whenever 
possible. Very likely there are some members taking drugs. The tribal 
leaders are very concerned, try to identify the individuals and take 
corrective steps. I hope they succeed. That is a second leg of the tripod.

"It's those other kids. Don't you go accusing my 
son/daughter/grandson/granddaughter of taking no pot or no heroin." 
We have arrived at the third leg of the tripod.

We can't admit that we contribute to the problem because we don't 
want to face facts about some of our children, our neighbors, our friends.

A gram of pure methamphetamine cost $245 in September 2006. Marijuana 
or cannabis costs around $10 a gram. Anti-drug enforcement in the 
United States tends to focus on reducing the flow of drugs. All this 
really accomplishes is higher street prices.

This, in turn, means a user soon runs out of ready cash. Stealing 
from Mom's pocketbook and Dad's wallet lasts awhile, but as price and 
need increase the addict steals from stores and sells the goods in 
our pawn shops. We seem to have more pawn shops as time goes by.

I can't address the hook that gets people started on drugs, because I 
don't know. It might be low self-esteem, peer pressure, a broken 
family, or worse, a doting family. In central Michigan, as elsewhere, 
families with money and power can do anything they please. Well, not quite.

What shall we do about this problem?

"String 'em all up: dealers and users alike; and their kin folk!" 
Some would want the executions televised to watch the twitching 
bodies. I know the United States has become a bit threadbare, but I 
hope we are not yet savages. We do too much killing as it is.

"Barricade them borders, north and south! We don't need them 
strangers coming into these United States with their drugs and their 
foreign ideas." While strengthening the Mexican border has had a 
modest effect on trespassers, actually sealing either border would be 
prohibitive; certainly more than $35 billion that we don't have. Even 
with sealed land borders, drug dealers would simply fly in and 
increase the price to cover the cost.

"Cure the junkies!" This is part of the answer, though it too would 
be very expensive. Currently, Michigan spends more on prisoners, per 
capita, than we spend on students. The "cure" in whatever form would 
take resources and more specialists than we currently have. Other 
states with more healthy budgets could attract the best available 
talent. How could we pay for such a system?

"Legalize drugs!" This is not as harebrained as it sounds. Other 
countries have done this, and learned what works and what doesn't. By 
controlling quality and quantity of substances, selling through 
regulated outlets, and taxing the product, the result would create an 
income of billions annually, and a reduction of police efforts. The 
worst addicts could be treated and rehabilitated. Just as Prohibition 
didn't work with alcohol, moral posturing won't work for drugs.

Perhaps legalization could begin with an extension of the use of 
medical marijuana to include sales to more casual users. I am not 
advocating drug use. It exists right here. Doing nothing is not an option.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake