We all know that our world is inundated with illegal drugs that are contributing to the spread of diseases, crime and moral decay. As a parent and law-abiding citizen, I am happy to know that at least some of these dangerous drugs are not making it into our neighborhoods to addict and kill our children. Since the 1970s we have reduced overall drug use in this country by greater than 50 percent. If we had made this kind of progress in the war against AIDS, cancer, high-school dropouts or teenage pregnancies, no one would consider those efforts failures. The last thing in the world successful treatment and prevention needs is the legalization of more drugs.
Drugs are a medical and criminal problem.
Drugs contribute to irresponsible behavior which frequently results in medical problems such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, accidents, overdoses and health problems such as cancer, liver and lung damage and death. Drugs also contribute to criminal behavior such as child and spousal abuse, burglaries, rapes, murders and thefts. As both a medical and criminal problem, drug abuse must be dealt with accordingly through a comprehensive approach of prevention, treatment, and law enforcement and interdiction. If his bills make drugs legal, of course the prison rates will drop, because those who are peddling drugs to our children will no longer fill our prison cells.