T
The420Guy
Guest
What is it about this generation of Bushes? Last year both of President
Bush's daughters got themselves arrested for underage drinking. Now their
older cousin, Noelle, gets busted for fraud after forging a prescription
for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
My first thought was: Is this some sort of rebellion against their very
authority-figure dads? Or are they simply unlucky?
My second thought was: Maybe the tendency toward drug abuse problems simply
runs in the family. Noelle's uncle was pretty open about his struggles with
alcohol when he was in his 20s, and a lot less candid about whether he
struggled with other substances as well . But then again, so far all these
reports involve drug law problems, not clear drug-abuse problems.
My third thought was: It's not just the Bushes. Think of all the wives and
daughters of men who have occupied or sought to occupy the White House in
recent decades. Joan Kennedy, former wife of Sen. Edward Kennedy, has long
battled alcohol abuse, as did First Lady Betty Ford. Kitty Dukakis
struggled for decades with abuse of alcohol and prescription amphetamines.
John McCain's wife, Cindy, illegally obtained prescription painkillers to
support her habit, and Ronald Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis, eventually
fessed up to her love affair with cocaine.
It almost seems like there's no better predictor of getting in trouble with
drugs than being the wife or daughter (or son or brother) of a man who
aspires to the presidency.
My fourth thought was: I'm being unfair. There's nothing so special about
those Bush daughters, or about any of the other prominent wives and
daughters who got in trouble with drugs or the law. Tens of millions of
Americans find themselves in trouble with alcohol or other drugs at one
point or another in their lives. And tens of millions have been arrested on
alcohol or other drug-related charges. The only thing special about these
women is their mixed blessing of being closely related to a very famous man
- - which means their problems are known not just to their families and
friends and the arresting authorities but to many millions of others who
watch TV and read the papers.
My fifth thought was: None of these women has actually gone to prison or
suffered any other significant legal consequences for their criminal
violations. They suffer serious embarrassment on a public scale most of us
will never know. But they also come from families and social classes that
afford much better opportunities for keeping the criminal justice system at
bay. I surely don't want to see any of them behind bars for their troubles
with drugs and the law - but what about the millions of Americans who have
lost their freedom for days, weeks, months or years because of a drug
problem? Weren't many of them guilty of nothing more serious than these
wives and daughters of our national politicians?
"This is a very serious problem," said Noelle's father, Florida Gov. Jeb
Bush, in a statement issued Tuesday. "Unfortunately, substance abuse is an
issue confronting many families across our nation. We ask the public and
media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time so that we
can help our daughter."
Jeb Bush is right, of course. If his daughter has a drug problem, surely
it's best handled as a private family matter. But what about other people's
sons and daughters? The law that Noelle likely violated is punishable by up
to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Noelle won't go to prison, nor
would most other first offenders. But what about other young people whose
families don't have the resources of the Bushes? What about other young
people whose parents aren't able or even available to help them? Why
exactly do we have such severe laws on the books for punishing people whose
only real offense, if it can be called that, is related to putting a
psychoactive substance into their body?
Maybe this unfortunate turn of events in the Bush family will serve as a
wakeup call for Jeb Bush. For the past 10 years more people have been
admitted to Florida state prisons for drug offenses than for any other
charge. The state's voters will likely have an opportunity to vote on a
ballot initiative this November - modeled on California's Proposition 36 -
to provide treatment instead of incarceration for people with substance
abuse problems who get arrested on drug possession charges. The governor
has already spoken out against the initiative, just as the vast majority of
California's politicians opposed Prop 36 until 61 percent of their
constituents voted otherwise.
So here's my last thought, one I hope Jeb Bush will take to heart: Treat
others as you would want your own son or daughter treated. It's a good
principle in life, and a sound basis for drug policy.
Copyright 2002.
By Ethan A. Nadelmann
Bush's daughters got themselves arrested for underage drinking. Now their
older cousin, Noelle, gets busted for fraud after forging a prescription
for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.
My first thought was: Is this some sort of rebellion against their very
authority-figure dads? Or are they simply unlucky?
My second thought was: Maybe the tendency toward drug abuse problems simply
runs in the family. Noelle's uncle was pretty open about his struggles with
alcohol when he was in his 20s, and a lot less candid about whether he
struggled with other substances as well . But then again, so far all these
reports involve drug law problems, not clear drug-abuse problems.
My third thought was: It's not just the Bushes. Think of all the wives and
daughters of men who have occupied or sought to occupy the White House in
recent decades. Joan Kennedy, former wife of Sen. Edward Kennedy, has long
battled alcohol abuse, as did First Lady Betty Ford. Kitty Dukakis
struggled for decades with abuse of alcohol and prescription amphetamines.
John McCain's wife, Cindy, illegally obtained prescription painkillers to
support her habit, and Ronald Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis, eventually
fessed up to her love affair with cocaine.
It almost seems like there's no better predictor of getting in trouble with
drugs than being the wife or daughter (or son or brother) of a man who
aspires to the presidency.
My fourth thought was: I'm being unfair. There's nothing so special about
those Bush daughters, or about any of the other prominent wives and
daughters who got in trouble with drugs or the law. Tens of millions of
Americans find themselves in trouble with alcohol or other drugs at one
point or another in their lives. And tens of millions have been arrested on
alcohol or other drug-related charges. The only thing special about these
women is their mixed blessing of being closely related to a very famous man
- - which means their problems are known not just to their families and
friends and the arresting authorities but to many millions of others who
watch TV and read the papers.
My fifth thought was: None of these women has actually gone to prison or
suffered any other significant legal consequences for their criminal
violations. They suffer serious embarrassment on a public scale most of us
will never know. But they also come from families and social classes that
afford much better opportunities for keeping the criminal justice system at
bay. I surely don't want to see any of them behind bars for their troubles
with drugs and the law - but what about the millions of Americans who have
lost their freedom for days, weeks, months or years because of a drug
problem? Weren't many of them guilty of nothing more serious than these
wives and daughters of our national politicians?
"This is a very serious problem," said Noelle's father, Florida Gov. Jeb
Bush, in a statement issued Tuesday. "Unfortunately, substance abuse is an
issue confronting many families across our nation. We ask the public and
media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time so that we
can help our daughter."
Jeb Bush is right, of course. If his daughter has a drug problem, surely
it's best handled as a private family matter. But what about other people's
sons and daughters? The law that Noelle likely violated is punishable by up
to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Noelle won't go to prison, nor
would most other first offenders. But what about other young people whose
families don't have the resources of the Bushes? What about other young
people whose parents aren't able or even available to help them? Why
exactly do we have such severe laws on the books for punishing people whose
only real offense, if it can be called that, is related to putting a
psychoactive substance into their body?
Maybe this unfortunate turn of events in the Bush family will serve as a
wakeup call for Jeb Bush. For the past 10 years more people have been
admitted to Florida state prisons for drug offenses than for any other
charge. The state's voters will likely have an opportunity to vote on a
ballot initiative this November - modeled on California's Proposition 36 -
to provide treatment instead of incarceration for people with substance
abuse problems who get arrested on drug possession charges. The governor
has already spoken out against the initiative, just as the vast majority of
California's politicians opposed Prop 36 until 61 percent of their
constituents voted otherwise.
So here's my last thought, one I hope Jeb Bush will take to heart: Treat
others as you would want your own son or daughter treated. It's a good
principle in life, and a sound basis for drug policy.
Copyright 2002.
By Ethan A. Nadelmann
