New Solutions

Many headlines in the San Diego media have been dominated recently by new revelations of drug abuse. Many of those stories centered around the recent visit of the Congressional Select Committee on Narcotics on which I sat as an invited panel member.

We learned during the course of those hearings just how out of control the problems of substance abuse and smuggling have become. We heard as well from a variety of law enforcement officials, counselors and legislators about the failure of existing federal and local programs to stem the flow of drugs onto our streets.

More than 20 million Americans use marijuana regularly. About 8 million to 20 million are regular cocaine abusers; about 500,000 are heroin addicts; 1 million are regular users of hallucinogens, and nearly 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs.

There is no debate over the fact that something must be done and done quickly. It should have also become obvious by now that the same old solutions just don’t work any more. Narcotics and drug smuggling have subjected our borders and even entire state to an invasion of heavily armed criminals with an endless supply of money and with little reluctance to kill to ensure their profit margin.

Our laws, our police departments and our children are victims of the breakdown.

The reaction of many law enforcement and legislative officials at the hearing was reminiscent of the 1960s: Throw more money at the problem. If 1,000 agents are good, they believe, then more will be better. More guns, more electronic marvels, more of everything to solve the problem. This is a “solution” that I just cannot agree with.

To find a solution, we have to understand the root of the problem. Drug suppliers are in the business for profit. As long as there continues to be these obscene profits for such little work, then there will continue to be suppliers. It’s for this reason that heavier fines, more enforcement, confiscations and the like have merely raised the “cost of doing business.” These costs are easily passed on to the addicts.

I believe that we must be willing to explore every option, go all out in the war against drugs and alcohol abuse. To be too fearful to examine every alternative is to abandon all hope of any solution.

We must begin with a five-part program to identify some of these new solutions.

- Education is a key element and should begin in the elementary schools. Education against drug and substance abuse, including alcohol, is essential.

- An aggressive eradication program in which the raw materials and resources of the drug trade are eliminated is essential. The vast majority of these raw materials originate in only 14 nations. We should, therefore, be able to carefully target these nations.

- Nations should face sanctions if they are unwilling to police their own drug manufacturing and growing.

- Controls are needed on “designer drugs,” drugs that, because of their recent development or small chemical changes, haven’t yet been declared illegal. There are currently no such controls.

- Finally, and by far the most controversial measure, is to reduce the profits of drug smuggling. There are no easy solutions here, but a desperate need for innovative tactics and a willingness to explore every avenue. I stand by my position that we must not shut off the flow of information concerning this problem.

We need to admit the failure of our current anti-drug programs and, equally important, commit ourselves to finding new and effective programs.

JIM BATES

Representative

44th Congressional District