Marmillion Criticizes Beilenson’s Drug Stance

Democratic congressional candidate Val Marmillion has blasted Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Tarzana) as irresponsible for suggesting that Congress should consider making drugs legal.

During a May 14 television appearance, Beilenson said that since drug laws have failed to prevent drug abusers from obtaining cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other substances, legalization should be discussed as a policy option.

“At least they wouldn’t have to mug you or me or rob our homes in order to get their money for drugs, perhaps, if they were legal,” Beilenson said. “So that’s an alternative we’re going to have to seriously consider.”

Beilenson, seeking nomination for a seventh term in the June 7 primary, called repeal “a very appealing alternative to me” but stopped short of advocating such a policy.

Opponent Responds

In a news release this week, Marmillion responded:

“I cannot believe a congressman, elected to represent our interests, would make such an irrational and irresponsible statement. We have hundreds of thousands of families here in Los Angeles attempting to educate their children on the dangers of drugs. . . . Now one of our elected officials suggests that drugs could be sold like cigarettes and alcohol.”

Furthermore, he said, “It is completely irresponsible to suggest that because drugs are often involved in crimes, the problems would go away if we simply legalized them as Mr. Beilenson suggests.

“The real problem is that our government has failed to adequately address the problem of drug suppliers and has unfortunately focused recent attention on drug testing and arresting the first offender.”

Definite Problem

Marmillion, a West Hollywood businessman, said he would use economic sanctions against nations that are major drug suppliers and put more money into drug education and Head Start programs for low-income youth.

Beilenson’s comments echoed those of a growing number of public officials, including the mayors of Washington, Baltimore and Minneapolis, who have suggested in recent weeks that the federal government should consider repealing drug laws in the face of their failure.

The legalization argument presumes that drug black-markets worth many billions of dollars would dry up, drug gangsters’ empires would collapse, addicts would no longer commit street crimes to pay for their habits and courts and prisons would no longer be besieged by a problem they cannot possibly solve.

However, most politicians and policy-makers regard abandoning anti-drug laws as heresy. They maintain it would make the dangerous substances cheaper, more potent and far more widely available, leading to skyrocketing addiction, hospital costs, overdose deaths and property destruction.

Growing Concern

Beilenson said that faced with growing concern about drug abuse, Americans face the choice of jailing all users of any amount of drugs or repealing anti-drug laws. The root of the problem is not the supply from foreign sources, he said, but the demand by Americans that makes the trade so lucrative. The issue, he said, is one of “individual responsibility.”

Marmillion said he plans to ask Beilenson to retract his statements about anti-drug laws during a scheduled television debate on the show “Cable TV Press Conference” next week.

The hourlong debate, the first between the 23rd District candidates, will be shown on Century Cable Channel 3 at 9:30 a.m. on June 3 and rebroadcast on Century Channel 10 at 7:30 p.m., at noon on June 4 and 8 p.m. on June 6.

It will also be aired on Cablevision Channels 65 and 67 at 8:30 p.m. on June 3 and 7 p.m. on June 6, and on American Cable Channel 28 at 7:30 p.m. on June 3, 7:30 p.m. on June 4 and 2 p.m. on June 5.