Pubdate: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Copyright: 2002 Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division, Hearst Newspaper Contact: http://www.chron.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/198 Author: Thom Marshall TALKS A GIANT STEP IN DRUG REFORM THE MOVEMENT to understand and improve our nation's struggles with drugs and drug policy took another giant step this week, comparable in scope to the step it took with the movie Traffic. Much as that Hollywood film excited the public to discuss drug issues and the need for change as never before, the peace talks at Rice University's James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy may inform and motivate our political leaders. The conference, "Moving Beyond 'The War on Drugs,' " on Wednesday and Thursday, brought to Houston U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrator Asa Hutchinson, who provided a traditional defense of prohibition-and-prison drug policies, and a list of speakers who favor drug reform, including doctors, a judge, a district attorney and others. But the conference presentations represent only the lifting of the foot for the giant step. Now conference organizer William Martin, who is a Rice professor and Baker Institute senior scholar, is going to spend the next few months organizing a book from all the information presented at the conference, and from other sources as well. Martin, by the way, is a fine writer whose credits include the book A Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story. Conference provides a kickoff The giant foot will come down when the conference report/book comes out. In closing remarks, the founding director of the Baker Institute, Ambassador Edward Djerejian, said the institute publishes such reports only when it involves something meaningful and when it can make a difference. He compared the drug war to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He served as ambassador in both Syria and Israel and reportedly has had numerous conversations with key figures involved in efforts to resolve the current fighting. The conference is "the beginning of an intense analysis and assessment of what works and doesn't work," he said, and the findings will be taken to Washington. One of the conference speakers who has long served as an elected official said in a conversation at the end of the first day that drug policy reform efforts do not hinge upon facts and evidence. He said the facts and evidence clearly cry out for reform. But he said that reform depends now upon politics. Those who want changes and improvements know how difficult it will be to get officials in charge of the current policy to relinquish any power or control or funding. Or even discuss it. A couple of top government drug-war officials rather emphatically turned down invitations to participate in the Rice conference. But an invitation issued by a top rung at the Baker Institute proved successful in attracting Hutchinson. Djerejian emphasized that "the need for public dialogue, as we have here, is essential." He said the conference is a good start. No one is predicting precisely what changes will come or how quickly they will come, but the ambassador's assessment is that the areas of drug treatment and drug education are open windows of opportunity. Targeting after-school plans And perhaps a prime target for early reform efforts is increasing after-school programs. A couple of speakers mentioned the impact they could have. Much drug use among teens occurs between the time school lets out and parents get home from work. Many teen pregnancies begin during these hours, also, as well as a large portion of the crimes such as shoplifting and car thefts and burglaries that are done by kids. Health issues such as medical marijuana and needle exchange programs are gaining momentum in much of the country. Many of the speakers mentioned that they are parents and want to see better control and management of drugs and drug problems than the drug war has provided. They want a more realistic approach. The peace talks at Rice were a giant step in that direction. - --- MAP posted-by: Ariel