Proposition 36 has the potential to reduce the prison population by 36,000 inmates each year allowing the prison system to be able to house harder criminals for longer. The rest of the nation should follow California's lead. Drugs are a major problem in this country and obviously the old system needs to be reevaluated because it has not improved drug use. There are people who believe that rehab will not be as effective as the harsh reality of prison. In time as people are sent to rehab rather than prison they will learn how to change their lifestyles rather than being expected and entrusted to do so on their own with no help at all.
Prison postpones the problem, but hopefully rehab can cure it.