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Drug Czar & former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske calls for an end to 'war on drugs'
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Famous Cat on Drugs. Flickr
President Obama's Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske says he wants to top fighting "a war on drugs," favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use. As Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Kerlikowske gave his first interview and explained that the analogy of war is not appropriate to handling this challenging situation.
"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them. We're not at war with people in this country." Kerlikowske stated.
His comments signal that the Obama administration is set to follow a more moderate stance on the nation's drug problems, a good idea at this time of fiscal overspending on wars and not spending on programs that support human livingry. Prior administrations talked about pushing treatment but continued to spend billions of dollars on a tough criminal-justice approach.
Now our prisons are overflowing with people who have been caught in this drug war but harmed no one, and we simply can't afford to continue battling. We need to turn our resources toward our failing schools, health care and other matters that support life rather than trying to punish people who get addicted to illegal drugs.
Having personal as an at-home-Dad for fifteen years, I was able to witness the easy connection between teenagers and drugs, especially marijuana and prescription drugs. These easy for them to get and use, and many kids now feel entitled to do whatever makes them feel good while their parents do little or nothing.
So, kids get involved with weed, acid and other illegal drugs. If they are caught, they could suffer severe lifelong consequences. There is nothing like a criminal record to hamper getting a good job or into graduate school.
Talking about his own experience as Seattle Police Chief Kerlikowske said, "The perception is that Seattle is this very tolerant city, but when I talk to my colleagues around the country and they look at what are your resources for law enforcement, targeting adults for small, personal amounts of marijuana isn't high on the radar screen when you have X amount of bodies."
So, perhaps we're about to see some of our limited resources shift from weaponry to livingry. May this Drug Czar and all our officials act with compassion and wisdom in supporting this transformation. And may each of us recognize the true pain behind the use of any mood altering substance or behavior.
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