Oregon voters have twice approved the nation's only assisted-suicide law, which last week was upheld by a federal judge despite the Bush administration's attempt to dismantle it. Oregon's electorate also has approved the use of medical marijuana despite criticism by the feds. And they've crimped law enforcement efforts to go after drug users and producers by passing an initiative prohibiting the seizure of property in drug busts without a conviction.

But the Bush administration's top two anti-drug warriors - in Oregon on Friday for a firsthand look at the state's efforts to battle methamphetamine production - found something here that they and Oregonians appeared to agree on: the value of drug courts.

John Walters, the White House's drug czar, and Asa Hutchinson, the administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, joined Oregon judges, elected officials, law-enforcement officers and people who have been treated for drug addiction at a state Capitol ceremony kicking off "National Drug Court Month."

Multnomah County initiated the second such court in the nation, and about 30 now are in place across Oregon, prompting both men to say Oregon is a leader in using the judicial system to direct drug offenders toward treatment.

Walters said drug courts are vital in the effort to get people off drugs because the presiding judges have the legal clout, through their ability to impose fines and jail time, to keep drug users on the straight-and-narrow path of drug treatment.

"Unlike bureaucrats and administrators, judges have a peculiar ability to give directions and know that those directions are going to be followed," he told the audience, which included about a half-dozen people who received treatment for their addiction after appearing in drug court.

Drug courts help addicts stay clean by addressing the underlying causes of their drug use. The Lane County Drug Court, the second of its kind in Oregon, was started in 1994. Since then, judges have dismissed criminal charges against hundreds of addicts who completed treatment, made all court appearances and passed drug tests.

Lane County's drug court, like its counterparts throughout the state, has struggled to establish sustainable revenue. Lane County Circuit Court Judge Darryl Larson, who established the county's drug court and served as its administrator until January, said funding issues continue to plague drug courts.

Larson said the federal government has been helpful in providing one-time dollars to establish drug courts, but the courts could use longer-term funding and more money for treatment.

"They need treatment dollars to function," he said. "If you don't have adequate treatment slots on demand to put them into, you just can't do it."

Because of a state and local budget crunch, drug courts are facing serious funding problems.

"We're hurting more than we've ever hurt in the past," he said.

Although federal support has been limited to helping fund training for those who operate drug courts, Hutchinson said President Bush wanted to increase Washington's level of support and called for increased spending on drug courts.

Walters concurred, saying drug courts are something "we probably can expand even more rapidly" through grants to states.

Earlier Friday, differences emerged between the federal anti-drug effort and the views of many Oregonians. During Walter's appearance before the Portland City Club, a physician challenged the government's criminalization of drug use.

"After 30 years of the war on drugs, couldn't you say your presence here is an admission of failure?" Dr. Euan Horniman asked Walters after the official gave a breakfast speech at the City Club.

Horniman noted that Britain and The Netherlands have decriminalized some drug use and offered addiction treatment programs instead of jail time without increasing the crime rate.

Walters replied that decriminalization has failed when it has been tried in this country. He singled out former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke for criticism, saying addiction rates and HIV infection from illegal drug use skyrocketed after Schmoke relaxed drug enforcement in the city.

"If you want an example of why it doesn't work ... my answer is to go to Baltimore," Walters said.

He said teen-agers and marijuana still rank as the top priorities of the government's anti-drug program, despite what the administration contends is a more relaxed attitude toward drug use by parents in the baby boomer generation.

Government surveys indicate that about one in four of the 4.5 million Americans with drug problems are teen-agers, he said.

"I'm no Pollyanna - I don't think we can eliminate the drug problem," Walters said. "But studies repeatedly show if they don't use drugs as teen-agers, they're unlikely to use them as adults. The same goes for cigarettes and alcohol."

Later Friday, Hutchinson and Walters took a helicopter tour of a methamphetamine ``superlab'' that was raided by authorities in February 2000. They were joined by U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley over the site of the meth lab near Gervais, one of the first of several ``superlabs'' that have been raided in Marion County.

Hutchinson said Oregon ranks fifth in the nation for the number of meth lab seizures.

``You've also got more superlabs - labs that produce more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine'' at a time, he said. ``It's a serious law enforcement problem and community health problem that has to be addressed.''

Quote: "I'm no Pollyanna - I don't think we can eliminate the drug problem. But studies repeatedly show if they don't use drugs as teen-agers, they're unlikely to use them as adults. - John Walters, White House's Drug Czar

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Register-Guard, The (OR)
Author: David Steves, The Register-Guard
Published: April 27, 2002
Copyright: 2002 The Register-Guard
Contact: rgletters@guardnet.com
Website: http://www.registerguard.com/

Related Articles:

Oregon Faces Its Own War on Drugs
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12652.shtml

U.S. Drug Czar Visits Oregon
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12648.shtml

The Other Drug War - John Walters
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12611.shtml

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Perhaps the Bush regime should be required by the drug court to take 'standardized testing' to assess their true educational and cognitive development.

• Rev Bookburn- Radio Volta

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How about Freedom Month? At least one month would help.

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• Arrest Prohibition