Pubdate: Wed, 11 Oct 2000
Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Santa Barbara News-Press
Contact:  P.O. Box 1359, Santa Barbara, CA 93102
Website: http://www.newspress.com/
Bookmark: For Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act items: 
http://www.mapinc.org/prop36.htm

BALLOT MEASURES

[snip]

PROPOSITION 36

This measure requires that drug users be diverted to treatment programs, 
coupled with probation, rather than be sentenced to prison terms. Opponents 
of Prop. 36 say it ties the hands of prosecutors and essentially legalizes 
hard drugs.

That is not the case. Criminals whose offenses go beyond drug dependency 
still are subject to imprisonment. Prop. 36 takes people whose chief crime 
is against themselves and sends them to treatment programs rather than to 
prison, thus saving taxpayers as much as $150 million a year.

We don't want people ignoring drug laws, but users need help, not prison. 
The News-Press recommends a "yes" vote on Prop. 36.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D