Cannabis News The November Coalition
  New Tactics Needed in War Against Drugs
Posted by FoM on February 24, 2002 at 08:09:40 PT
Editorial 
Source: Florida Today  

justice The recent arrest of Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter on drug charges was a dramatic reminder that addiction occurs even in the best of families. It's likely that Noelle Bush, who was arrested Jan. 29 on charges of fraudulently obtaining a prescription drug, will receive the best of care in overcoming her addiction, but many other young Floridians are not so fortunate.

And again this year, the state budget is being balanced at the expense of drug treatment programs and other vital social services.

To his credit, the governor supports the restoration of state funding for drug courts, including $360,000 for the court in Brevard County, but much more needs to be done.

Providing treatment for addicts remains a low state priority, even as surveys indicate more young people are being lured into drug abuse by a new generation of illicit substances and a growing variety of prescription medications.

Example: A recent analysis by Florida Today found sharp increases in the number of teens who report using Ecstasy and in the number of people of all ages arrested for using the drug. Ecstasy is just one of several newer drugs being used by young people alongside such familiar scourges as cocaine and heroin.

"The message I'm getting is that it's getting worse," said Harold Koenig, a Satellite Beach resident who heads H.E.A.R.T, an organization that lobbies for more treatment options for the addicted and mentally ill. "Our kids are really hurting, especially in Brevard County."

On the Space Coast, there are no residential treatment centers for teens, so after initial detoxification young people are obliged to seek help at facilities outside the county, a process that can be very expensive.

Social services officials are seeking $7.7 million to add 175 new beds statewide for residential treatment for people of all ages, but their chances of success seem slim.

Meanwhile, at the federal level, President Bush has announced he plans to reduce illicit drug use by 25 percent in five years, a goal that seems wildly optimistic in light of current trends.

And, as usual, only a fraction of next year's federal drug-fighting budget -- $3.8 billion of $19.2 billion -- will be spent on treatment.

That's unfortunate. Until spending priorities change, the war on drugs will continue to be very costly and largely ineffective.

To learn more

H.E.A.R.T. -- Call (321) 773-0298.

Campaign for New Drug Policies Call (310) 394-2952 write 1250 Sixth St., No. 202, Santa Monica, CA 90401 or visit: http://www.drugreform.org

Source: Florida Today (FL)
Published: February 22, 2002
Copyright: 2002 Florida Today
Website: http://www.flatoday.com/
Contact: dosenenk@brevard.gannett.com

Related Articles:

People With Drug Problems Need Treatment
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11959.shtml

Jeb Bush Urged To Reconsider Drug Law View
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11893.shtml

Perhaps Daughters Arrest Will Trigger New Thinking
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11885.shtml


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Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 25, 2002 at 09:19:15 PT
Jose
Thanks for understanding.

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Comment #7 posted by Jose Melendez on February 25, 2002 at 06:30:26 PT:

sorry about the off topic
sorry about that FoM...



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Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on February 25, 2002 at 06:03:28 PT:

A word about the police in Salt Lake
I have not been following the Olympics very much; been too busy earning a living, and paying for all the US funded security measures against possible (free-lance, as opposed to governmentally sponsored) terrorism there, I guess.

But I am not a total webhead; I was channel surfing yesterday and dropped into CNN for a bit...just in time for the tape of the line of Salt Lake City policement facing (from what I could tell) a non-belligerant crowd. There was no audio, so I have no idea as to whether some exchange had occured between inebriated citizen and policeman. But one of the cops had an obviously off-balance drunk - and seemingly incapable of violence - citizen by the shoulder....and shoved him violently onto the street some ten feet, in front the crowd. Another person in the crowd helped to right him, and the clip ended.

Needless to say, the cops were all dressed like hopefuls at a Darth Vader Lookalike Contest.

When guard dogs start snarling and snapping at the very people they are supposed to be the servants of, it's time to replace the loose leash with a choker chain. And pull it real tight...

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Comment #5 posted by isobar2000 on February 24, 2002 at 11:37:14 PT
The Rich Always get away with it...
I though Florida was a zero tolerance state. I used to live there little over three years ago. People there are losing their property and assets over drug use. All she gets is treatment? Will I guess that is what you get when you live in Country or State that caters to the rich. What about all the people who lost a car or their home just because they had a small amount of weed. They sure didn't have to lie or still to get what they wanted, but still had to pay a heavier price than Bush's daughter. What kind of laws do we have here? Oh, I forgot we only have laws that protect those with money, and to H_ _ _ with the others. I don't blame the Bush's or most politicians because it is the people of this country who continue to burry their heads in the sand and refuses to see what is going on around them. Maybe one day people will wake up and take care of business and get rid of the politicians that make laws tailored for only themselves and their kind. Maybe people will see that their government is looking more and more like a Nazi type of government, with only the corrupt in power. Maybe people will see that things have to change before it is too late. I can only hope that one day people can really have the right to govern themselves through the true will of the people.

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Comment #4 posted by E_Johnson on February 24, 2002 at 09:57:09 PT
I would disagree
The recent arrest of Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter on drug charges was a dramatic reminder that addiction occurs even in the best of families.

Haven't we gotten past this idea that rich folk are inherently better than poor folk?



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Comment #3 posted by FoM on February 24, 2002 at 09:36:21 PT
Jose
I've been getting complaints about how the comments go way off topic. I'd really appreciate it if we would try real hard to stay on the topic of the article posted. We can read about other news on different newspaper sites on the Internet. Thanks so much.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on February 24, 2002 at 08:48:17 PT:

Legal is not moral
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59719-2002Feb24.html

Police, Crowd Clash at Winter Games

By Rich Vosepka
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, February 24, 2002; 7:45 AM

SALT LAKE CITY –– Police used foam-tipped bullets to scatter an unruly crowd outside a downtown beer garden early Sunday on the last weekend of the Winter Games. More than 30 people were arrested.

The clash began when Bud World, set up for Olympic festivities, got too crowded and people spilled onto Main Street, just blocks from the medals plaza and main media center.

"The people who were standing on line got unhappy," said Scott Folsom, assistant Salt Lake City police chief. "We're just trying to clear the crowd."

He said he knew of no injuries and no calls for medical assistance. The only property damage he had heard of was a broken window.

He said 75 to 100 helmeted officers were brought in to quell the disturbance and close off the intersection. He described the ammunition as "stinger balls."

A helicopter with a strobe light circled the street. About a half dozen vans with police arrived at the intersection.

"They don't want to leave," said Sherry Thomas, an official with the Utah Transit Authority... (snip)

Normally, drunken revelers wouldn't be roaming through the streets of Salt Lake City. The state's strict Mormon heritage usually makes for quiet nights. But during the games, things have been considerably more active.



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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on February 24, 2002 at 08:24:15 PT
Note
National Geographic, mentioned the terrorist implications of the diamond industry. From the Editor and the story: March 2002 issue.

I thought the government was portaying pot smokers, both healthy and gravely sick as supporting terrorist.

Here is another arguement for funding terrorist, other than falsly attacking humans that accept cannabis.

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