Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2002
Source: Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
Copyright: 2002 Tallahassee Democrat.
Contact:  http://www.tdo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/444
Author:  Ethan Nadelmann
Link: http://www.drugpolicy.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

PEOPLE WITH DRUG PROBLEMS NEED TREATMENT, NOT JAIL TIME

I got thinking about Noelle Bush, President Bush's niece, who was 
arrested last week for forging a prescription for the anti-anxiety 
drug Xanax. My first thought was: What is it about this generation of 
Bushes? Last year both of the president's daughters got themselves 
arrested for underage drinking. Now their older cousin, Noelle, gets 
busted for prescription fraud. Is this some sort of rebellion against 
their very authority-figure dads? Or are they simply unlucky?

My second thought was: Maybe the tendency toward drug abuse problems 
simply runs in the family. Noelle's uncle was pretty open about his 
struggles with alcohol, and a lot less candid about whether he 
struggled as well with other substances. But then again, so far all 
these reports involve drug law problems, not clear drug abuse 
problems.

My third thought was: It's not just the Bushes. Think of all the 
wives and daughters of men who have occupied or sought to occupy the 
White House in recent decades. Joan Kennedy, former wife of Sen. 
Edward Kennedy, has long battled alcohol abuse, as did first lady 
Betty Ford. Kitty Dukakis struggled for decades with abuse of alcohol 
and prescription amphetamines.

John McCain's wife, Cindy, illegally obtained prescription 
painkillers to support her habit, and Ronald Reagan's daughter, Patti 
Davis, eventually fessed up to her love affair with cocaine. It 
almost seems like there's no better predictor of getting in trouble 
with drugs than being the wife or daughter (or son or brother) of a 
man who aspires to the presidency.

My fourth thought was: I'm being unfair. Tens of millions of 
Americans find themselves in trouble with alcohol or other drugs at 
one point or another in their lives. And tens of millions have been 
arrested on alcohol or other drug-related charges.

The only thing special about these women is their mixed blessing of 
being closely related to a very famous man - which means their 
problems are known not just to their families and friends and the 
arresting authorities but to many millions of others who watch TV and 
read the papers.

My fifth thought was: None of these women has actually gone to prison 
or suffered any other significant legal consequences for her criminal 
violations. On the one hand, they suffer serious embarrassment on a 
public scale most of us will never know. But they also come from 
families and social classes that afford much better opportunities for 
keeping the criminal justice system at bay.

I surely don't want to see any of them behind bars for their troubles 
with drugs and the law - but what about the millions of Americans who 
have lost their freedom for days, weeks, months or years because of a 
drug problem? Weren't many of them guilty of nothing more serious 
than these wives and daughters of our national politicians?

"This is a very serious problem," said Noelle's father, Gov. Jeb 
Bush, in a statement. "Unfortunately substance abuse is an issue 
confronting many families across our nation. We ask the public and 
media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time so 
that we can help our daughter. We will have no further comment on 
this issue. Thank you for your understanding."

Jeb Bush is right, of course. If his daughter has a drug problem, 
surely it's best handled as a private family matter. But what about 
other people's sons and daughters? The likely law that Noelle 
violated is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 
fine. Noelle won't go to prison, nor would most other first 
offenders. But what about other young people whose families don't 
have the resources of the Bushes? What about other young people whose 
parents aren't able or even available to help them?

Why exactly do we have such severe laws on the books for punishing 
people whose only real offense, if it can be called that, is related 
to putting a psychoactive substance into their body?

Maybe this unfortunate turn of events in the Bush family will serve 
as a wakeup call for Gov. Bush. For the past 10 years, more people 
have been admitted to Florida state prisons for drug offenses than 
for any other charge. The state's voters will likely have an 
opportunity to vote on a ballot initiative this November - modeled on 
California's Propostion 36 - to provide treatment instead of 
incarceration for people with substance abuse problems who get 
arrested on drug possession charges.

The governor has already spoken out against the initiative, just as 
the vast majority of California's politicians opposed Prop 36 until 
61 percent of their constituents voted otherwise.

So here's my last thought, one I hope Jeb Bush will take to heart: 
Treat others as you would want your own son or daughter treated. It's 
a good principle in life, and a sound basis for drug policy.

Ethan Nadelmann is executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, 
the nation's leading organization working for drug law reform.  Web 
site: http://www.drugpolicy.org
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