>I think the rehab/testing/jail route would be very effective IF:
- The government will actually enforce it for EVERY offense
- There's enough money to provide rehab locations and qualified staff
- There's enough money to provide testing locations and qualified staff
- There's enough jail space

Della;

I wish there was a simple answer to the drug problem. It is a complex social issue and will not be resolved by passing a few laws. We have to get to a point where the family has value in this nation and give opportunity to all. Generations of social issues play a large role in why drugs are a major problem today.

The approach to jail is not the answer. We have more people serving life in prison in California (three strikes law) for smoking pot than are serving life for murder. I can assure you we have more than our share of murderers. It seems so far that no approach has addressed the problems of drugs head on. If you check our nations history there was a recognized drug problem (cocaine etc.) during the 1890’s and 1920’s. It seems to recur every so often or perhaps it is more imbedded in our culture today than ever before.

This is the reality of a drug addict. If they go through rehab they may fail three or more times. This does not mean they want to fail but the effects of drugs on the human body are too strong. If we say you can go to rehab once and you fail some would place this person in jail. That will not solve the problem. If you want to see a program with a great success rate I know of one. Delancy Street, in San Francisco. I am not sure if it still exists but it did have a 100% success rate. Not everyone who takes drugs will be “saved”.

If people do not meet our image should we put them in jail? Perhaps that attitude is why we have more people in jail that any other nation in the world. I do not think we can build enough jails to get rid of all our social problems. The amount of money spent to take care of a prisoner in jail far exceeds what it costs for the education of a child.

Tom