Several years ago, Denver federal judge John Kane Jr. wanted our
government to give free drugs to drug abusers. Further,
he advocates no
more prosecution of these drug abusers as criminals. Yet, he doesn''t
favor legalizing drug use for anybody who wants them. According to
Kane, "The purpose isn''t to encourage people to use drugs, but to
eliminate the
illegal market for them" (quoted from the Rocky Mountain
News).Mr. Kane presumes we''ve lost the war
on drugs. There are other, more qualified people, to make that call and
determine whether or not drugs should be legalized, e.g., recovered
drug addicts, employers that cover the tab for worker''s compensation
claims due to drug-related injuries, drug abuse counselors that work
with abusers in the judicial system, police who identify criminal
activity associated with drug addiction, parents who are abused, and
school teachers that try to educate students that are under the
influence of drugs.Government distribution
of free drugs to addicts won''t eliminate the illegal market. We hardly
need another government controlled bureaucracy. Who pays for these free
drugs? Even though Kane doesn''t want to legalize drugs for general use,
the concept sure perpetuates the opportunity for more abuse. If Kane''s
concept is implemented, those who can''t afford the price of drugs or
don''t want to take the chance of being arrested for buying or selling
illicit drugs can identify themselves as a drug abuser for easy access
to free and unlimited samples. It sounds like double-talk: it is
illegal to sell or buy drugs, but you can engage in the same acts
through our government distribution
program! And while Judge Kane
claims the purpose isn''t to encourage people to use drugs, the reality
is that it will.Kane rationalizes that the
courts are drowning in criminal drug cases while other crimes go
UN-prosecuted. But there are numerous reasons for this state of
affairs. One reason is linked to the leniency of the courts to impose
stiffer sanctions or penalties against drug dealers. Consequently,
repeat offenders are in and out of the judicial system like a revolving
door. There have to be consequences for deliberately violating the law.
Some people turn their lives around through therapy and other means,
but there is a segment of our society that needs to be dealt with
swiftly and harshly.How will this attitude
of "giving drugs away" to abusers impact our school system? Already in
Fort Collins, two out of three students that drop out of school were
using significant amounts of drugs prior to dropping out. Of those
school dropouts, sixty percent of them are unemployed.Distributing
free drugs is similar to the needle-exchange program for drug addicts.
Since 1988 Vancouver, British Columbia has provided the world''s largest
needle-exchange program. The results are devastating. HIV infections
were higher among users of free needles than those with no access. The
death rate from drugs soared after the program was instituted, jumping
from 18 a year in 1988 to 150 in 1992. The highest rates of property
crime in Vancouver are within a two-block radius of needle-exchange
sites. Lastly, higher drug use followed implementation of the program.Senator
Ben Nighthorse Campbell said it well: "Drug trafficking is like water.
It follows the path of least resistance." Let''s not create another path
or market place for the drug cartel. Decriminalization only increases
drug use and creates a larger market for illegal drug distributors.I
found it interesting that while Judge Kane is a senior federal trial
judge, he doesn''t handle drug cases or any other criminal cases -- it''s
his option. Armchair quarterbacking is easy when you''re not in the
middle of the war.