cannabisnews.com: Drug Fighters Organize Opposition To Treatment 





Drug Fighters Organize Opposition To Treatment 
Posted by FoM on June 18, 2001 at 14:53:09 PT
By Alan Scher Zagier
Source: Marco Daily News
A burgeoning movement to reform Florida's drug laws has caught the attention of the state's drug czar and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is leading the charge to rally police, prosecutors and politicians against a 2002 ballot initiative. The proposal to mandate drug treatment as an alternative to imprisonment for certain nonviolent offenders is nothing more than a precursor to drug legalization, warned FDLE Commissioner James T. Moore in a recent letter to Keith Chandler of Melbourne, head of the Florida Police Chiefs Association. 
The reform measure is bitterly opposed by the 600-member chiefs association, said Chandler, speaking from the group's annual conference in Tampa. "Anybody who thinks that the people pushing this initiative have the best interests of the taxpayers of Florida in mind is absolutely crazy," he said. "This is not an effort at drug prevention or treatment. This is an effort at drug legalization ... We need to do everything we can to defeat it." The "people" described by Chandler include three of America's wealthiest businessmen: New York financier George Soros, Cleveland insurance executive Peter Lewis and Arizonan John Sperling, founder of the for-profit University of Phoenix. Their millions helped to propel a similar initiative in California to a resounding victory last year, with 61 percent of voters supporting the plan, known as Proposition 36, to steer certain first- and second-time drug-law violators into treatment and rehab programs. The Campaign for New Drug Policies, an advocacy group that led the California effort, is also behind the Florida measure, working to collect the nearly 500,000 signatures needed to get onto next year's statewide ballot. Moore, who through a spokeswoman declined to comment, hopes to soon convene a summit of law enforcement leaders, state attorneys, Florida Office of Drug Control and the private group Drug Free America, according to his June 4 letter to Chandler. Jim McDonough, director of the state drug control office and a former director of strategic planning for the Clinton administration's drug czar, called the proposed legislation a "ruse" and "canard of the first order." By failing to distinguish among illegal substances, whether marijuana, cocaine, prescription painkillers, or heroin, the measure gives first- and second-time users "a free pass," said McDonough. The proposed law also leaves the decision in the wrong hands, he said, by giving offenders — not the courts — the right to determine whether treatment is appropriate. "Virtually no one moves themself into treatment," said McDonough. "You don't wake up in the morning and say, 'I want to go there.' You want to get more drugs." Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Soros-backed Lindesmith Center/Drug Policy Foundation, is used to the criticism. In California, politicians from the governor on down opposed Proposition 36. Voters felt otherwise, as they did in Arizona, where a pair of mandatory-treatment reform measures passed in both 1996 and 1998. Polls in Florida suggest similar support among the masses, he said. "We've found that when the opposition engages in this kind of duplicity and fear-mongering, it never works," said Nadelmann. "The public is ahead of the politicians when it comes to drug policy reform." Nadelmann also called contentions that the initiative is a cloak for legalization "false," adding that some legalization proponents in the drug reform community are just as critical of the initiative. Rather than give drug users carte blanche, the proposal is narrowly constructed, he said. People accused of selling, delivering or trafficking drugs, as well as offenders facing concurrent charges of theft or violent crimes and drunken driving, as well as any felonies, are barred from the treatment alternative. So are individuals convicted or imprisoned for violent crimes within five years of their drug offense. Those who fail or drop out of treatment get at least one other shot, states the proposal, but being unsuccessful "after multiple programs and violations" gets an offender back in court to face the threat of jail or prison. Supporters estimate that 10,000 Floridians each year are put behind bars who meet the criteria of the proposed law, making the state ripe for a challenge that could set the tone for future reform efforts elsewhere. "It's a state that other states will look toward," said Nadelmann. Passage of the treatment alternative would require Florida to invest $35 million to $40 million annually into expanded drug treatment, said Bill Zimmerman, the political consultant who heads the Campaign for New Drug Policies. The added expenses would be more than offset by savings in incarceration costs, he suggested. In California, where Proposition 36 takes effect July 1, local governments are scrambling for their shares of $120 million in drug treatment allocations, state published reports. Citing the added costs of the new law, Gov. Gray Davis has also cut nearly $22 million from other drug-prevention programs, including drug courts. Others worry that even the extra money isn't nearly enough and that expanded treatment centers and new facilities will be met by resistance from neighborhood groups. McDonough, a retired Army colonel, said that Florida, if not winning the war on drugs, is at least dishing out its share of blows. In the past three legislative sessions, state money for treatment programs has increased by $34 million annually, with federal support doubling to $80 million a year, he said. He cited Department of Correction statistics showing that just 41 of the approximately 66,000 inmates in the state system are behind bars for convictions on simple possession of marijuana, and each of those were either repeat offenders or had pleaded down from more serious charges. The numbers don't account for violators in county jails. "There is not a habit in the state to put someone in the prison system because he has a quiet toke behind his apartment door. It just doesn't happen," said McDonough. The complete text of the proposal can be found on the Florida Department of State's Web site at Internet at:http://election.dos.state.fl.us/initiatives/fulltext/34424-1.htm Complete Title: Drug Fighters Organize Opposition To Statewide Treatment Proposal Source: Marco Daily News (FL)Author: Alan Scher ZagierPublished: Monday, June 18, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Marco Daily NewsContact: letters naplesnews.comWebsite: http://www.marconews.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:TLC - DPFhttp://www.lindesmith.org/Campaign for New Drug Policies http://www.drugreform.org/Florida Eyed as 2002 Battleground for Drug Reform http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10014.shtmlBush Backs a Promotion for Florida's Drug Czarhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9112.shtml
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Comment #14 posted by QuietCrusader on June 19, 2001 at 13:52:53 PT:
Please, will someone display...
a phone number in Florida so that I and others who know "cool" people in Florida that will sign that dotted line can get the word out. I have family and friends down there! Let's get the word out and defeat the scapegoaters!
VoTe LiB
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Comment #13 posted by Monvor on June 19, 2001 at 06:53:40 PT
quiet toke
"There is not a habit in the state to put someone in the prison system because he has a quiet toke behind his apartment door. It just doesn't happen," said McDonough. Well if that is true, then why not just put it on paper. Legalize it!
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Comment #12 posted by Jose Melendez on June 19, 2001 at 05:58:26 PT:
What if we phrased things more accurately?
Let's say we start a referendum that asks:Should citizens who, absent any other criminal offense, continue to be arrested and prosecuted for personally consuming marijuana, even though it is PROVEN safer than tobacco, alcohol and most over the counter drugs?Then, simply organize a Vote NO on the anti-pot Proposition!What if Marlboros smelled like pot?Where then would probable cause lie?Would FL State Trooper Dance get all red faced and search some old white guy's Mercedes Benz and dig through his golf clubs looking for drugs??What if we all carried bird seed in our cars? Does that mean we can be arrested for possession, occifer?Next time my car gets pulled over, it WILL have hidden video...Jose Melendeznarcosoft.com  technology with substance"We'd rather sell Cannabis."
LEGAL CANNABIS and more! Click here to support our advertisers
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Comment #11 posted by DdC on June 18, 2001 at 19:13:17 PT
Chief of Police Joseph McNamara Collection
With the Bush Drug Cartel what other state would they harass? Perpetuate the war is the game.Monsanto's Corporate ties to McDoughnut begging to use the terminator seed in Florida dispite environmental concerns.Just Fascist pigs, nothing new. Boycott Florida! For many reasons!DdCTerminator Seedshttp://www.rafi.orgChief of Police Joseph McNamara Collectionhttp://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/debate/mcn/mcntoc.htmFla Nark McDoughnuthttp://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/26/26252.gifWorld Leaders on Dopehttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread9907.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Site:TLC - DPFhttp://www.lindesmith.orgDdC stashhttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ddc.htmIs marijuana fear a myth? By William Buckley http://www.ariannaonline.com/discus/messages/4/441.html?TuesdayDecember2119990310pmMcWilliams at bat By William Buckley http://www.ariannaonline.com/discus/messages/4/442.html?TuesdayDecember2119990323pmON THE RIGHT: THE DEA STRIKES BACK! by William F. Buckley Jr.http://www.ariannaonline.com/discus/messages/4/443.html?TuesdayDecember2119990338pmPerjury everywhere? By William Buckleyhttp://www.ariannaonline.com/discus/messages/4/444.html?TuesdayDecember2119990349pmLost political causes By William Buckleyhttp://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=81.topicWrite to William Buckley at Universal Press Syndicate: 4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111.The Police State Cometh by Ron Paulhttp://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=47.topicRAC...KET...EERINGhttp://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36123.gifhttp://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/message.shtml?1x36121Free the POW's http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36684.gifI LOST MY FREEDOM Linxhttp://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionlinx.showMessage?topicID=22.topicRonald McDoughnuthttp://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/34/34919.gifAsa IIhttp://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36422.gifASA AND ME http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=460The Boys on the Tracks by Mara Leveritt http://216.9.192.67/news.php3?sid=153The Narking of America: The Bush Team for Total War, or Just to Keep the Lid On. http://216.9.192.67/news.php3?sid=446Skull & Boneshttp://www.ctrl.orghttp://www.cia-drugs.orghttp://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36400.gifYou decide...http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36285.gif
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Comment #10 posted by dddd on June 18, 2001 at 18:39:51 PT
GCW
Yea,,,,I know it's the South,but I didntwant to offend any southerners....youpiss them ol' boys off,and ya never knowwhat could happen.Texas is also the south.It's not good that a Texan is in the oval officedddd
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Comment #9 posted by The GCW on June 18, 2001 at 18:29:06 PT
Florida?
dddd,Most people forget but Florida IS the south.
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Comment #8 posted by dddd on June 18, 2001 at 18:19:25 PT
As expected
I knew that the Florida anti-drug cartel would makea strong showing.....I've never been there,but Floridaalways seemed to be a hardnose place politically.......that's where our buddies McDonough,and McCollum arefrom......they are most unpleasant characters.....d...d..d.d
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Comment #7 posted by NC Native on June 18, 2001 at 18:16:06 PT
But true
lets not fool ourselves by saying this isnt a ploy to legaliz drugs because we all know that it is...not saying its a bad thing but at least dont try to deny it...i dont really thnk everything should be legal...just marijuana and certain other natural substances..is it me or does this seem like a huge business op for making moneyzzz?peace" what would i be if i hadda million dollars?...well id be rich"
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on June 18, 2001 at 18:05:08 PT
Not the truth?
Quote: "There is not a habit in the state to put someone in the prison system because he has a quiet toke behind his apartment door. It just doesn't happen," said McDonough. Isn't it true that if your out on porole or probation and fail a piss test for smoking some cannabis a week earlier that your failed piss test gets you into a cage? That makes that upper quoted statement questionable. I think that the over zealousness of this type of people in other examples has actually helped our cause by making it easy to identify the bad seeds. In most all other similar cases the same bad seeds have been present in it's fight to continue to cage humans for using cannabis, the plant given by our father.Did our father give us this plant for all its implications including the way it enables us to see who walks with God and who shuns Gods glory? Cannabis is truth. Cannabis is part of Gods glory. Did God create cannabis to use as a tool in deciding who to cage?
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Comment #5 posted by freedom fighter on June 18, 2001 at 17:14:42 PT
legalization
aint a dirty word!Time to change!\/ff
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on June 18, 2001 at 16:07:00 PT
Legalize it already!!!
 This idiot talks like "legalization" would be a bad thing. It would derail their gravy train indeed. That would put our prioriries in order & that would do this society more good than the anti's want you to know.
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Comment #3 posted by Pontifex on June 18, 2001 at 15:54:57 PT:
This is a great strategy by the legalizers
Mandatory treatment won't end the War on Drugs. But it will derail the gravy train for a lot of law enforcement.Only now am I beginning to appreciate the full brilliance of Soros' strategy -- float legislation that the antis have to fight and are destined to lose, in the process making themselves look like total assholes. This is a victory in progress!
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Comment #2 posted by lookinside on June 18, 2001 at 15:41:08 PT:
agreed...
idiots like this just plain pi$$ me off...sadists, and theydon't have enuff insight to realize it...
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Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on June 18, 2001 at 15:10:24 PT
The Stupids
He admits to failure, these people are really stupid.[McDonough, a retired Army colonel, said that Florida, if not winning the war on drugs, is at least dishing out its share of blows.]Blows = people suffering = war on people = army colonel talking out his a$#.
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