Expert: Philip Sweeting - 7/19/2004

Question
Hows it going Mr. Sweeting, I am currently writing a arg. research paper on the war on drugs. I am a law enforcement major at Western Ill. Univ., and i need to interview somebody with knowledge on this topic.  I would like to know your stance on how the war on drugs is carried out, whether you think we should treat the user as a criminal or as a victim.  Whats the best form of rehabilitation from your standpoint.  If you could just give me a couple answers it would help me out greatly, and i would really appreciate it.  Thank you, Steve

Answer
Let me start with I'm not an illegal drug user but I am more liberal than most law enforcement professionals.

We have lost the war on drugs. In some respects it is like the days of prohibition when use of alcohol was illegal.

An inordinate amount of resources are used by law enforcement to fight the war on drugs when the money could be better spent on other areas. Of course the incentive for law enforcement is that they can seize money or property from drug dealers that was obtained due to drug sales.

Society as a whole is supportive of our efforts as far as the drug user but it is similar to the support they give to illegal gambling. With role models such as actors and athletes either being arrested for drugs or it is well known they use them, it is difficult to convince the youth that you should not use them. In addition purely from a money standpoint when kids in the lower socio economic neighborhoods see drug dealers in fancy cars and lots of money, it is difficult to convince them they should get a job at McDonalds.

We need to rethink the drug issue with legalization a consideration in some cases. We are filling our jails with a large number of law obiding citizens with the exception of drug use. Consequently, they then have criminal records and it makes it more difficult to get get jobs and then some than turn into serious criminals to support themselves.

One could argue that the war on drugs is turning out more criminals than it is eliminating.

As for the user, there is legal use and illegal use. People with money can go to their doctor and get drugs they may not need but it makes them feel good. The homeless peoples drug of choice is alcohol and then there are the ones we put in jail. All of them need some form of rehibilitation but the answer is not simple and will be debated for the next 100 years.

This is a topic that can be written about forever but I hope what I have written helps.