Pubdate: Sat, 05 Jun 2010 Source: Times Union (Albany, NY) Copyright: 2010 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation Contact: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp Website: http://www.timesunion.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452 Author: Gloria Abitol SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS A HEALTH ISSUE First published in print: Saturday, June 5, 2010 I sympathize with Rhonda Swan's sentiments lamenting the Obama administration's failure to extensively change the prevailing policies that drive the drug war ("Obama prolongs failed war," commentary, June 1). I, too, have been disappointed with the Obama administration's failure to match its promising rhetoric with reality. Click here to find out more! However, is it realistic to expect that a 40-year-old war can be completely dismantled by a president 16 months into his term? The war on drugs supports bloated law enforcement agencies, the $68-billion-a-year prison industry, the arms industry and a thriving drug-testing industry -- not to mention drug lords worldwide. While we are far from the days when politicians went out of their way to impress the public with "tough on drugs" rhetoric, policymakers remain far too reluctant to implement sensible, compassionate drug policies that address drug use as a health issue rather than as a criminal justice problem. Let's remember how long it took to reform New York's Rockefeller Drug Laws, and implementing these reforms presents a challenge unto itself. President Obama did take a significant step forward in the historic health care legislation, by requiring coverage for substance abuse treatment through Medicare/Medicaid and private insurance, thereby expanding access to drug treatment in the mainstream public health system. Although we are still marching in the war on drugs, it is encouraging that seeds of change are being sown. Gloria Abitol Drug Policy Alliance New York City http://www.drugpolicy.org - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D