Local Blogswarm on Illegal Substances

Gort42 and LVDem have asked their blogger buddies to write on the issue of illegal drugs this week. So, here’s my take and suggestions:

When writing on drug issues there are a few easy targerts – the discrepancy in penalties for rock and powdered cocaine, the political fear of being perceived as “soft on crime” for recommending anything other than maximum sentences, the impact of our drug policy on international relations, and so on. I’m starting in a different place, back several spaces. For one thing, I toss nicotine and alcohol into the mix. They are legal, yes, but if we are talking about destructive addictive substances with negative social impact, you have to include them. This is a personal issue for me. Looking back along my family tree it is clear that my personal dna includes a predisposition for addiction and substance abuse. To date I have managed to steer clear but I do worry for my children.

So, my suggestions and thoughts on the drug problem are going to be a little broader maybe than some others.

Medical Marijuana – why is this even an issue? If it helps people with glaucoma and those going through chemotherapy then make it legal.

De-stigmatize mental illness -- I don’t have statistics but firmly believe that a lot of substance abuse is self-medication. There is some evidence that people with attention deficit disorder use nicotine as a stimulant, just like others get a prescription for methylphenidate. Alcohol abuse often masks depression. Someone I knew in college who had a drug problem also had a family history of schizophrenia and said when he was high the voices stopped. If insurance companies were more willing to pay for mental health treatment and people weren’t afraid of being fired or looked down upon for seeking it, perhaps more people would find less destructive ways to quiet their restless minds.

Find a way to make people dirty on their own doorsteps – this is pie in the sky but all too often the drug trade originates in low income areas and the buyers are from the more affluent. We’ve all read about suburban kids driving into the city to buy their substance of choice. If the meth labs and drive by shootings were in the suburbs and posher neighborhoods, I think we’d see some faster action. The poor don’t vote so higher crime levels there don’t stir the electorate up as much as crime in areas where people do vote. I know that some drug production does happen in the higher income areas, but not as much, I don’t think, as happens in lower income areas.

Ditch mandatory sentences – There will always be inconsistencies and inequities in sentencing but mandatory sentences takes a lot of choice out of a judge’s hands. There are a lot of factors to take into account when deciding on a sentence and the decision should be made by someone who can look at each case individually. There are a lot of people in jail who shouldn’t be, taking up the space that we need for some of the truly evil.

Make room for redemption – A kid who makes a mistake too close to a school just after his 18th birthday is going to be paying for it the rest of his life. It will impact his ability to find and keep a job, to earn a living, and to pay taxes. Restorative justice programs are making inroads into the criminal justice system. These and other alternative sentences, such as drug rehab, really need to be used more often. Yes, there are hardened criminals out there but if we can catch them early enough they might turn into productive citizens.

Get the big fish – Getting pushers off the street is a good thing, but where is the stuff coming from? Find those guys.

Equitable justice – Making penalties for buying, selling, and using the drug of choice for the poor harsher than that of the affluent is just plain wrong. Equalize the penalties for powdered and rock cocaine, marijuana and Cuban cigars, etc.

These are my thoughts, unencumbered by research or fact checking.