Pubdate: Tue, 24 Apr 2001
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2001 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.sjmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Donnie R. Marshall
Note: Donnie R. Marshall is administrator of the Drug Enforcement 
Administration. He wrote this column for the Washington Post.

U.S. TARGETING THE BIG DRUG TRAFFICKERS, NOT SMALL-TIME USERS

The movie "Traffic" is the most realistic portrayal of drug law enforcement 
and the ravages of drugs on families I've ever seen. It accurately shows 
the complexity of the drug trade -- from its origins in foreign countries 
to its terminal point on our streets -- and how predatory drug traffickers 
victimize young, weak and vulnerable people.

But I'm afraid moviegoers may have come to two conclusions that appear to 
provide simple answers to some not-so-simple problems having to do with our 
nation's recurring drug problem.

The first conclusion can be drawn from the Michael Douglas character, the 
new government drug czar who declares, "If this is a war on drugs, then 
many of our family members are the enemy." Himself the father of an 
addicted daughter, he steps down from his post, presumably because he 
cannot support policies that target users.

While this scene is dramatically effective, it's factually inaccurate to 
say the U.S. government targets users. In fact, it is well-organized 
international criminal organizations that are actively targeting American 
families and American users, without whom they would be out of business. 
One common misperception is that the American demand for drugs drives the 
supply; in fact, the opposite is true. Without a steady, well-marketed 
source of supply, users like Caroline in "Traffic" would not specifically 
demand crack or heroin.

The film's high-school-age users were bored, affluent kids whose parents 
had no clue about who their friends were, or how they spent their time 
after school. The availability of these drugs on the streets of Caroline's 
home town was a significant factor in her decline.

The vast majority of offenders in prison are there not for possession or 
because they are users, but for serious trafficking offenses. A 1997 
Justice Department survey found that only 5 percent of the drug offenders 
in federal prison, and 27 percent in state prison, were there on possession 
charges -- and many of those charges represent the results of plea 
bargains. There's simply no reason to believe that drug users are the 
"enemy" in any government policies.

Caroline's parents could afford good treatment for her and, as the film 
shows, treatment works for some people. For many, success comes only after 
repeated stays at drug clinics and after too many productive years of life 
are dedicated to the pursuit of a cure. I'm a strong advocate of treatment 
and believe it must be widely available. Yet I also believe prevention and 
effective law enforcement must be critical components in our drug strategies.

Which leads me to the second erroneous conclusion some may take from the 
film: that our country's efforts to solve the drug problem are futile. 
While "Traffic" correctly suggests that law enforcement has enormous odds 
to overcome, it also respects the talent, courage and dedication that DEA 
and Customs agents bring to their task -- talent I see every day. The film 
shows how difficult it is for law enforcement to work in an environment of 
corruption and frustration, yet the DEA characters keep pursuing their targets.

And there have been victories despite the uphill battle. The enforcement of 
strict laws, coupled with social disapproval, led to the reduction of drug 
use during the last epidemic at the turn of the century. By the early 
1960s, only 2 percent of the American people had ever tried drugs, compared 
with 28 percent today. If Americans could live without drugs 40 years ago, 
there's no reason we cannot now.

Today's level of drug use is less than half what it was two decades ago. 
This progress was made during a time when people thought casual drug use 
was socially acceptable. But slowly we learned that the consequences and 
risks of using drugs were severe. Through a balanced approach of law 
enforcement, prevention and treatment, our nation has made a positive 
impact on the levels of drug trafficking and use. For the sake of our sons 
and daughters, the potential Carolines of the world, we must persevere, 
with courage and determination.

Donnie R. Marshall is administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 
He wrote this column for the Washington Post. 
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