Premises of drug laws change under Prop. California would send thousands of drug users into treatment instead of prison under a ballot measure that, like several others around the country Nov. 7, would reverse the punitive trend in criminal justice.
Backers contend America's war on drugs is a costly failure.
Other supporters are San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and groups representing professionals in the mental health and drug abuse fields. They fear this will usher in a loosening of drug laws. Some also warn it would conflict with California's new system of drug courts, which commit offenders to treatment with a threat of prison if they stray. The nation's drug czar has weighed in against the proposal, too. 36 threatens California's existing drug treatment programs, White House drug policy director Barry McCaffrey said Wednesday in an open letter to Sheen.