T
The420Guy
Guest
MIAMI, Jan. 31 -- Advocates of reforming Florida's drug laws say it is
understandable that Gov. Jeb Bush (R) is asking for compassion and
privacy for his daughter, arrested this week on prescription fraud
charges. But they also think he should reconsider his tough "drug
warrior" approach to the state's other nonviolent drug offenders.
"The question is, are you going to treat other kids in trouble the way
you'd want your kid treated? That is where people in Florida have
fallen short, with the drug policy there -- they're all willing to be
tough and hard and lock everybody up," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive
director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a national organization working
for drug law reform.
Bush's middle child and only daughter, Noelle, 24, was arrested
Tuesday in Tallahassee on charges of impersonating a doctor as she
tried to fill a fake prescription for Xanax, a popular anti-anxiety
drug. The Bush family released a statement acknowledging that Noelle
has a "serious" substance abuse problem. They asked "the public and
the media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time
so that we can help our daughter."
During his three years in office, however, Bush has cut drug treatment
and drug court budgets, Nadelmann said, while also attacking a ballot
initiative that will likely go to voters in November to provide
treatment to an estimated 10,000 nonviolent offenders in Florida each
year who otherwise would be incarcerated.
During a brief news conference today, Bush said that his daughter's
arrest will not affect his drug policies. Although he admitted some
budget cuts were necessary because of a shortfall due to costs
incurred after the Sept. 11 attacks, he stressed that "we've made a
long-term commitment long ago for long-term strategies to increase
drug treatment and increase prevention, and we've done just that."
David Rasmussen, an economics professor at Florida State University
who studies drug policies, characterized Florida's stance toward drug
treatment as "a drug warrior policy, criminalizing drugs and probably
incarcerating too many people."
He said admissions of drug offenders to the state prison system rose
nearly 19 percent between 1998 and 1999, and 13 percent the following
year.
The proposed ballot initiative that Nadelmann's group supports would
require judges to grant treatment to first-time and second-time
offenders charged with simple possession of drugs or drug
paraphernalia. But Bush has opposed the proposal, saying that "to
suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to
stick our heads in the sand."
Nadelmann said Florida officials are putting out a message "that
people need to get arrested before they get drug treatment. We're
saying, don't have a double standard here -- the Bushes want to treat
this as a private family matter and well they should, but other people
should have the opportunity, too."
~~~~~~~~~
Special correspondent Catharine Skipp contributed to this report.
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jan 2002
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company
Contact: letters@washpost.com
Website: Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis
Details: MapInc
Author: Sue Ann Pressley, WP Staff Writer
understandable that Gov. Jeb Bush (R) is asking for compassion and
privacy for his daughter, arrested this week on prescription fraud
charges. But they also think he should reconsider his tough "drug
warrior" approach to the state's other nonviolent drug offenders.
"The question is, are you going to treat other kids in trouble the way
you'd want your kid treated? That is where people in Florida have
fallen short, with the drug policy there -- they're all willing to be
tough and hard and lock everybody up," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive
director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a national organization working
for drug law reform.
Bush's middle child and only daughter, Noelle, 24, was arrested
Tuesday in Tallahassee on charges of impersonating a doctor as she
tried to fill a fake prescription for Xanax, a popular anti-anxiety
drug. The Bush family released a statement acknowledging that Noelle
has a "serious" substance abuse problem. They asked "the public and
the media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time
so that we can help our daughter."
During his three years in office, however, Bush has cut drug treatment
and drug court budgets, Nadelmann said, while also attacking a ballot
initiative that will likely go to voters in November to provide
treatment to an estimated 10,000 nonviolent offenders in Florida each
year who otherwise would be incarcerated.
During a brief news conference today, Bush said that his daughter's
arrest will not affect his drug policies. Although he admitted some
budget cuts were necessary because of a shortfall due to costs
incurred after the Sept. 11 attacks, he stressed that "we've made a
long-term commitment long ago for long-term strategies to increase
drug treatment and increase prevention, and we've done just that."
David Rasmussen, an economics professor at Florida State University
who studies drug policies, characterized Florida's stance toward drug
treatment as "a drug warrior policy, criminalizing drugs and probably
incarcerating too many people."
He said admissions of drug offenders to the state prison system rose
nearly 19 percent between 1998 and 1999, and 13 percent the following
year.
The proposed ballot initiative that Nadelmann's group supports would
require judges to grant treatment to first-time and second-time
offenders charged with simple possession of drugs or drug
paraphernalia. But Bush has opposed the proposal, saying that "to
suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to
stick our heads in the sand."
Nadelmann said Florida officials are putting out a message "that
people need to get arrested before they get drug treatment. We're
saying, don't have a double standard here -- the Bushes want to treat
this as a private family matter and well they should, but other people
should have the opportunity, too."
~~~~~~~~~
Special correspondent Catharine Skipp contributed to this report.
Newshawk: Cannabis News - marijuana, hemp, and cannabis news
Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jan 2002
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company
Contact: letters@washpost.com
Website: Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis
Details: MapInc
Author: Sue Ann Pressley, WP Staff Writer