By providing more opportunities for treatment, these supporters say the measure would offer thousands of drug offenders real hope to break the cycle of addiction. But critics say the initiative actually enables addicts to keep using. While the bill provides 120-million dollars for drug treatment statewide, critics say that s not nearly enough. San Diego County alone already spends 38-million dollars a year on treatment, prevention, and recovery services. Critics also complain, Prop. 36 does not allow any of the new money to be used for drug testing.
Testing is the integrity of any program to attack addiction.
If you can t hold them accountable, if you can t find out if they re using, then you can t do anything. Superior Court Judge Bonnie Dumanis used to work in San Diego s drug courts, where testing is required. Without such mandatory drug testing, and without the ability to throw an errant addict into jail, Dumanis says judges will be forced to operate like dysfunctional parents. I m really going to be mad if you do this again, and I m going to punish you. Second time, they do the exact same thing, you say no no no no.