BOGALUSA - Officials from a Baton Rouge-based company have been in the city recently, but the DARE funds they are raising may not be getting back to local programs. Charlie Thames is affiliated with SMG and is based in Baton Rouge. His company is a fund-raising organization and recently had people working in Bogalusa on behalf of DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). The only problem is that for every dollar someone "donates" to DARE through Thames' firm, only about a nickel makes it to the organization. [continues 264 words]
Annual Award Given To Pair From Drug Unit BOGALUSA - Pfc. Wendell O'Berry and Sgt. Kendall Bullen of the Bogalusa Police Department's Drug Task Force were honored as Policemen of the Year at this week's Rotary Club meeting. Bogalusa Police Chief Jerry Agnew said last year the entire department was recognized instead of just one or two individuals, but this year the drug task force officers were chosen. "They have the vision," he said in his introduction, noting that they looked at all the officers and recognized that these two are visionaries who work their beat, anticipate reality and have a dream for the city. [continues 658 words]
To the Editor: Kudos to Danny Hanemann for his outstanding column: "Winning the war on drugs" (July 23). I'd like to add that many judges and prison wardens have said that 70 to 90 percent of all property crime and violent crime is "drug-related." Actually almost 100 percent of all so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by drug prohibition policies - not drugs. When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5 cents a bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. Neither did drug lords, drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today. [continues 361 words]
To the Editor: Kudos to Danny Hanemann for his outstanding column: "Winning the war on drugs" (July 23). I'd like to add that many judges and prison wardens have said that 70 to 90 percent of all property crime and violent crime is "drug-related." Actually almost 100 percent of all so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by drug prohibition policies - not drugs. When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5 cents a bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. Neither did drug lords, drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today. [continues 113 words]
Seems to me... In case anybody hasn't noticed yet, we're losing the war on drugs. Despite every governmental effort, the problem is only getting worse. The policies of the last eight administrations have relied on three basic strategies to create a drug-free America: interdiction, education, and incarceration. All told, these efforts cost the U.S. taxpayer over $400 billion per year. Consider interdiction. Drug production constitutes the primary source of exports for several South American countries. Arguably, the economies of both Colombia and Bolivia would collapse without the drug trade. No economic incentive the U.S. can offer is going to persuade these nations to abandon production. In the Middle East the Afghan people have already resumed the planting of poppies, even as American forces occupy the country. [continues 726 words]
