Pubdate: Mon, 01 Oct 2001
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)
Copyright: 2001 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.ardemgaz.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25

DISPATCH FROM THE OTHER WAR: OH, YES, THE ONE ON DRUGS

REMEMBER that other war? The one on drugs? Oh, yeah, that. Seems like only 
yesterday we were worrying that it wasn't going so well. Maybe because we 
were trying too hard to fight it the wrong way.

Today there's a bit of good news on the home front, which is where illicit 
drugs really have to be fought, and the campaign to make their use 
unacceptable ultimately won.

Twelve more folks just graduated from the drug court in Fayetteville. That 
means the graduates completed nine months of therapy, counseling, drug 
tests and meetings--a rigorous schedule designed to free them from their 
addiction to drugs. Not everybody accepted into the program makes it 
through. But these twelve did, and their success provides hope for the 
other ninety participants in the program that they can make it, too.

Mary Ann Gunn, the judge of the drug court, shed her judicial temperament 
to share the moment with the grads. She hugged 'em and talked about how 
hard the graduates had to work to change their lives. The moment must have 
been a satisfying one for her, since she sees a lot of other folks passing 
through her court who aren't able to make the break with their previous 
lives and ruinous habit.

Judge Gunn even had the state's drug director, Bill Hardin, on hand to make 
a commencement speech--as this was the start of a whole new life. Which is 
just what everybody hopes this ceremony will be.

Mr. Hardin told the graduates that they've become examples for others: "If 
this program works for you, others will want in."

This program in Washington County is only the second in Arkansas, and has 
been operating for about a year and a half. Its success is now inspiring 
others. Arkansas will spend $800,000 to start more drug courts in 
Texarkana, El Dorado, Magnolia, Fort Smith, Van Buren and Benton County.

Drug court is a rigorous program, and failure to follow its rules extracts 
a price. Eligibility is limited to those facing non-violent, non-sexual 
charges involving drugs. Defendants accused of being drug dealers need not 
apply. This program isn't for them.

If a defendant completes the nine-month program successfully, charges are 
dropped. If defendants don't make it through the program, their cases are 
set for trial. Not graduating has some real consequences.

The war on drugs won't be won in the foreign countries, where so much of 
the drugs consumed here come from. The battles beyond our borders to 
control the influx of illegal drugs make entertaining fodder for the 
movies, or a Tom Clancy thriller. But it's here at home where victory will 
be achieved. And it will come over time, like the victory over terrorism 
that is only beginning to take shape in our collective will, our patience, 
our determination. We'll need those qualities in this war, too, but the war 
on drugs is a personal one, waged one person at a time.
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MAP posted-by: Beth