Pubdate: Fri, 27 Apr 2001
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2001 News World Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.washtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Authors: F. Andy Messing, Jr. and Patrick Oswald
Note: F. Andy Messing, Jr. is the executive director of the National 
Defense Council Foundation. He is a retired Special Forces major who has 
traveled to more than a dozen areas of illegal drug operations world-wide. 
He advised then-Gov. George W. Bush on this issue in 1998. Patrick J. 
Oswald is a research assistant with that foundation.

NEW LIFE FOR OLD ISSUE

The success of the drug war film "Traffic," the tragic shoot-down of the 
American missionary team in Peru and the re-arrest of drug-bedeviled actor 
Robert Downey Jr. have once again brought the issue of drugs to the 
forefront of national discourse.

As usual, the drug issue has simmered below public consciousness, only to 
be given new life by intense media coverage of drugs and the "Beautiful 
People" of Hollywood, and the horrible mistake in the air over Peru. The 
tendency of this issue to take center stage, disappear and then rise again 
like a Phoenix has led to an inconsistent national debate about one of our 
nation's most pressing national security problems.

Now that these recent events have reinvigorated public consciousness, new 
ideas and suggestions are being discussed in greater detail.

However, one idea constantly being put forward is legalization of drugs.

Proponents of legalization point to the high costs and apparent failure of 
the war on drugs as reasons to seek a new course of action.

Unfortunately, this and the fear that the battle cannot be won decisively 
have led some to call for an end to the fight.

Additionally, the lack of honest public debate has led to confusion among 
many Americans about the devastating consequences of legalization. The 
National Defense Council Foundation (NDCF) believes that it is only a 
matter of time before the lack of consistent leadership, fear and confusion 
lead to the misstep of legalization.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy makes clear in its 2001 annual 
report that drug use is directly linked to vexing social issues, ranging 
from increased crime rates, drug-driving, domestic violence to illness and 
reduced worker productivity. Legalizing drugs would only exacerbate these 
issues. Statistics support this claim.

Over 51 percent of inmates report that they were under the influence of 
controlled substances while committing their crimes.

Legalizing drugs would increase the number of users and addicts, thereby 
increasing this crime statistic.

Drug use also leads to higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, increased 
transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, and astronomical health care 
costs. Between 1992 and 1995, the amount of money the U.S. spent on health 
care expenditures due to drug abuse rose from $9.9 billion to $12 billion. 
Health care problems resulting from legalization will cause these figures 
to increase exponentially. As an example, the "medical marijuana" effort 
the vanguard of legalization ironically neglects to say that one joint has 
33 percent more health-threatening carcinogens than a normal cigarette. 
Statistics on the use of the drug Ecstasy also demonstrate this point.

In 1999 there were 2,850 "emergency room mentions" for Ecstasy, up from 253 
in 1994. This shows the growing availability and use of dangerous 
methamphetamines. Legalization would only serve as a stimulant to this 
alarming trend.

These domestic concerns do not even take into account the international 
ramifications of legalization. A 1990 NDCF report pointed out that the 
first result would be international legal complications. If drugs were 
legalized in the United States while remaining illegal in other nations, it 
would become increasingly difficult to decide what constitutes a drug crime 
in different countries.

Extradition agreements among nations could be jeopardized. American 
leadership and efforts currently play a crucial role in suppressing world 
drug supplies.

U.S. abdication in the war would be like a dam breaking, flooding the world 
with drugs.

America faces an uphill battle in the battle against drugs, but this does 
not mean that we should give up. Our main goal should be the reduction of 
drug use and supply to their lowest possible levels.

In cooperation with other nations, the United States must devote equal 
attention to both demand and supply activities, and this policy must be 
articulated by President Bush immediately. The momentum gained under 
Presidents Reagan and Bush, but lost under a Clinton administration lacking 
sufficient commitment, must be regained. The new Bush administration has 
demonstrated its strong willingness to lead the drug fight with the prompt 
nomination of drug czar John Walters, who served as chief of staff to 
former National Drug Control Policy chief William Bennett. Hopefully, his 
leadership will pull us back from the precipice and show us that 
legalization is not the easy way out. It is a canard that can only lead to 
accelerated social, economic and political destruction, jeopardizing our 
national security.

F. Andy Messing, Jr. is the executive director of the National Defense 
Council Foundation. He is a retired Special Forces major who has traveled 
to more than a dozen areas of illegal drug operations world-wide. He 
advised then-Gov. George W. Bush on this issue in 1998. Patrick J. Oswald 
is a research assistant with that foundation.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D