News / Education
Drug Czar Ends War on Drugs
"We should stop using the metaphor about the war on drugs," said Kerlikowske, "People look at it as a war on them, and frankly we're not at war with the people of this country."
Part of Kelikowske’s new approach is a focus on treatment programs:
"It's clear that if they go to prison and they have a drug problem and you don't treat it and they return ... to the same neighborhood from whence they came that you are going to have the same problem , Quite frankly people in neighborhoods, police officers, et cetera, are tired of recycling the problem. Let's try and fix it."But the Obama administration, of which Kelikowske is a part, has stopped short of supporting the legalization of drugs such as marijuana . Kelikowske stated:
"The discussion about legalization is not a part of the president's vocabulary under any circumstances and it's not a part of mine,"Obama, who admitted to marijuana and cocaine use in his autobiography, has proposed a budget increase of 4% to substance abuse programs.
In another recent Kelikowske talked about the role he played in Seattle law enforcement:
"I would meet with community folks and they would say 'about two blocks from here,' or 'over in Belltown near where I live,' or 'down the street from my house, there's people selling drugs on the corner at all hours.' "This new approach to the drug problem in America marks a clear difference from the tact of previous administrations. Focusing on treatment of drug problems has shown results in many areas of the country and the world. The results are reflected in saved lives and in lower prison budgets.
Long term studies would undoubtedly demonstrate tremendous savings in terms of government, community and familial spending. In the meanwhile, saving lives should be enough of an impetus to get behind any attempt to use addiction treatment as an alternative to incarceration.
