Pubdate: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Copyright: 2004 The Sun-Times Co. Contact: http://www.suntimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81 Author: James E. Gierach END DRUG PROHIBITION Regarding the 2004-2005 Cook County budget and the request for 200 additional correction officers: If Sheriff Michael Sheahan appears before the Cook County Board of Commissioners, President John Stroger might want to ask him, "What percentage of all new arrestees arriving at the Cook County jail are there for so-called drug offenses? I believe the answer is 90 percent. Ask him, "What percent are [in for] weed?" Needless to say, the drug war continues to transform America into a land of prisons and jails. Of course, inmates are disproportionately youngsters of minority status who often live in poverty. Illinois, Cook County, Chicago and our nation -- we all desperately need an end to drug prohibition. It causes more harm than good. We can all agree the drug war must end, but it will take some discussion to decide what reasonable drug policy should replace prohibition. But the time has come for that serious dialogue. Suppose the Cook County Board passed an ordinance making drugs a county violation, then Cook County sheriff officers could start issuing "P-Tickets" and collecting fines from marijuana offenders rather than arresting them. Suburban municipalities could follow suit. Gov. Blagojevich may also be amenable to solutions that reduce our statewide dependence on prisons for drug offenders. I continue to believe there is no better place than the home of Al Capone to start drug policy reform to regain control of drugs, our streets, our kids and the Cook County budget. James E. Gierach Oak Lawn - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake