Ok, so the blog is back from vacation, and after scanning the news in the past week, I hit upon this article on four drug dealers that were caught just before Christmas, two of which were busted in our neighborhood. If you read the comments posted after the article on the Express Times site, you'll see a pretty lively debate started by someone who suggests legalizing drugs and taxing them as a revenue source. I have heard this idea tossed around in Easton a lot and would like to open the debate here as to what people think about this more radical solution to reducing open-air drug markets and the violence associated with them. Should Easton because America's Amsterdam?
Express Times Article on Drug Dealers Caught from WW, Wilson and Palmer
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14 comments:
Americans consume 40 billion dollars a year in drugs.90% come right over from Mexico.And illegal aliens of all races are given low paying jobs which is adding to why more Americans are selling drugs.And I said all races so you boo hoo liberals cant label me as a racist.And if we add more taxes and revenue do you really think your government will spend it wisely.On Jan.10 which is a sunday night on tv not sure what channel Ithink its around 8 or 9 a program called Boarder patrol will be on. We all need to really watch this and have a good debate on it.
Im sorry I due apologize my point is that we need to go right to were the problem is.If we keep on makeing excuses or ignoreing were the real problem is comeing from we as a nation will collapse at some point.The drug problem is at the Mexican borders.
There are certainly issues on the border with Mexico, but they are hardly the only issues lending to the massive amount of drug activity in our country. For instance, let's not forget heroine and the poppy fields of Afghanistan. or our own home-grown meth labs right here in USA that we can't blame on anyone but ourselves. And let's not forget that we don't just share a border with Mexico, we share oceans with the world, and that's a lot of ports and coast line to control.
As for heroine and cocaine (also as a base for making crack) coming into the country, it doesn't happen without the cooperation of Americans in powerful places. An excellent show written about a years-long sting that happened in Baltimore was produced on HBO called "The Wire." It's over now, but the DVDs are available for sale and on Netflix. It's one of the best-written TV shows I've ever seen, and it shows what happens when you start following the money trail of a drug ring. In the case of this real-life sting, it led to corruption and complicity within the police department, local unions, the mafia and political officials. The problem is not just coming from somewhere else, it's being invited in.
People often feel more secure by having a simple answer and a specific group of people to blame, but we live in a complicated world, and anyone telling people that solutions are that cut-and-dried are manipulating a populace that doesn't like to think too hard, and has a lot of repressed anger that they long to fire at an one easy target.
The question being posed here is, if we haven't been able to stop them in all of these years of the "War on Drugs," then should we be legalizing them and making that revenue off taxing it? Some people feel strongly that because hard drugs are harmful to people and their loved ones, that they should never be legal. Others feel that cocaine and heroine should be illegal, but marijuana should be legal as it has never killed anyone. Still others think that if Amsterdam has managed to control the sale of drugs and thrive on the tax money that it produces by using it to pay for roads, services, etc., that we should be doing it too. It's an interesting debate.
The medical and spiritual crisis of drug addiction creates an increasingly huge demand for increasingly addictive drugs, for which there is a matching huge supply, regardless of the country of the supply.
Anybody who isn't headless can witness almost any hour of the day and night the very busy and lucrative drive-thru drug pickup zone called the West Ward!
We often joke that the city should put up street signs "Please use flashers while double-parking to buy drugs!" to keep non-drug traffic moving smoothly.
Drug addiction and supply create an enormously profitable business with no shortage of customers who usually seem to drive in from outside the city in their gigantic Suburban Assault Vehicles.
I define drug addiction as a medical problem that leads to financial and spiritual bankruptcy for the addict and those who love the addict, unless it simply kills the addict before they hit bottom.
No amount of criminalizing drugs can solve addiction to drugs.
Since the drug problem has the name 'addiction' on it, the successful solution cannot be named 'incarceration,' though fortunes are made in the booming incarceration industry that gobbles up more tax dollars and acreage and in the West Ward every day.
At least some folk can be grateful that the status quo is creating our huge police state that provides much job security.
Given the profits involved, illegal or otherwise, the status quo is unlikely to change into a more humane addiction-recovery based response. When nothing changes, nothing changes.
"We will not arrest our way out of the drug problem." Chief Larry Palmer, Easton PD.
How true, I am just glad they are keeping the pressure on especially in the west ward. These cops are doing the job but its the judicial system that let's us down and the prison system. That's where the real reform is needed -- and not legalizing drugs!
Everyone who smokes marijuana is not a drug addict anymore than anyone who drinks a beer should be thought of as an alcoholic. Alcoholism and drug addiction are serious diseases that cannot be "cured" by the judicial system. I think prohibition and our current "war on drugs" have sufficiently proved this point. Alcoholics and drug addicts need help... putting them in jail doesn't solve anything... probably makes it much worse.
Marijuana is not a gateway drug. I, myself, do not smoke it, but I've known many people in my life who have smoked marijuana recreationally. None have become drug addicts and very few have gone on to try other more addicting drugs. If you're going to become a drug addict I think it hardly matters that you've tried marijuana first. Most people outgrow it in their younger years and some continue smoking through adulthood. I know some professional adults, contributing members to society, who occasionally smoke marijuana. Labeling them as criminals is ridiculous. If America is truly a free country people should be free to do what they want as long as they are not hurting themselves or others.
Legalizing marijuana solves so many of our problems...no more overcrowded jails, police free to chase real criminals. The tax dollars saved whould be huge. You wouldn't have to worry about people carting marijuana in from Mexico because we could grow it domestically. It could be a cash crop just like tobacco... taxed at every level from production to distribution to final sale. It would be a huge net gain in terms of revenue... freeing up resources at one end and generating income on the other. I really don't understand the opposition to this idea.
I do think it's a federal issue though, not one for our local politicians.
I believe there should be decriminalization of marijuana, which would leave enough control to local and federal governments to go after those that pose a threat instead of the individual casual consumer.
The billions of dollars wasted on incarcerating tens of thousands of people for simple possession could be spent on standardizing healthcare in America. The billions of dollars spent on adjudicating these charges could be spent on eradicating our need for fossil fuels. Perhaps some of these funds could be used to address our deplorable public school systems, cure cancer or eliminate hunger in the world.
This issue deserves far better treatment than a few comments I can offer here but a few may be beneficial.
The rising debate over the legalization of marijuana has serious political, law enforcement and economic repercussions. At least 50 billion dollars a year is spent nationwide on the ‘war on drugs,’ coined by President Nixon in 1971, in the form of enforcement, prevention and treatment. We host over 500,000 prisoners in our jails convicted of drug charges—10 X more than we did in 1980.
While some will point the finger at the ‘border problem’ it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to observe on any number of corners and alleys in our city alone, a perceived ‘illegal immigrant’ selling cannabis (marijuana) to a lovely, blond and blue-eyed gal from the suburbs or just around the corner. In addition, if we sealed off every border and not a single illegal drug entered our country, drug supplies would be discovered in our medicine cabinets, kitchen closets and cooked up in basements and attics (as they already are). Throw on top of the pile domestic drugs, cannabis in particular, that in California alone produces a greater estimated volume than wine and agriculture combined and you still have not found a solution.
It is true that over half of the business Mexican drug cartels conduct is generated through the Unities States but at the very heart of the war and the path to ‘winning’ it is rooted in demand not supply. In truth, it is a war we cannot win—at least not in the way we’ve been doing it. It may be argued by taking away the instrument of their profits and regulating it we can ‘win’ the war as countries in Europe have done.
But does Europe have the answer, particularly the Netherlands that liberalized the use of cannabis in the 1970’s? The Netherlands began to offer small quantities of cannabis for sale in coffee shops in 1976. Between the mid 1980’s through the mid 1990’s cannabis use between 18-25 year olds doubled and heroin addiction at least tripled. Crime increased and a shift in work ethic apathy grew out of a consistent use of stronger forms of cannabis. Lastly, the Netherlands are the number one legal producer of ‘Ecstasy’ in the world.
However, according to a 2009 report by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, use of cannabis is declining between 2000 and 2007. Overall, cannabis still continues to be the illicit drug most often reported in law offences and accounts for 69% of arrests related to possession and consumption, not distribution. The ratio of use between males and females under the age of eighteen is 5 to 1 and in the Netherlands 30% of client detoxification treatments is cannabis related—significantly higher than other European nations.
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No empirical evidence exists to define cannabis as a ‘gateway drug,’ that is one that will lead to more serious and more addictive types of drugs such as crack cocaine, though a larger percentage of regular cannabis users tend to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol more than the general population.
Lastly, competing policy goals between law enforcement, the penal system and NGO’s (Non Government Organizations, primarily non-profits and faith based) striving for rehabilitation often is driven more by industry preservation than positive change.
What has been learned by Europe is that greater availability, even with State regulation, in and of itself will still do little to drive consumption down including illegal drug use. However, a quick look at the historic picture in the Netherlands/Europe, particularly the period of decline, points to a ‘tool box’ of approaches, some a coordinated effort, help us understand the trend in decline and stabilization. In a sense, the Netherlands was an ‘experiment’ and over thirty years, with more comprehensive means to study trends and out comes, we can look in and benefit from learning from their mistakes and successes if indeed the U.S. decides to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
•Selective and indicated prevention identifies higher risk youth and seeks to bolster positive factors to prevent cannabis use.
•The involvement of NGO’s (Non Government Organizations, primarily non-profits and faith based) involved in policy making
•Drug law enforcement, particularly drug courts, has been very successful not only in Europe but also in the U.S.
•Treatment and detoxification including in prisons
•Social integrations
•Identifying mental health issues that drive illicit drug use
•Funding for targeted law enforcement approaches to import and or distribute illicit drugs over possession.
Most interesting may be social impact through mass media targeted at younger audiences. Historically the use of media to deter cannabis use has focused on the negative impact often through ‘shock tactics’. Yet studies show such campaigns drive use rather than prevent it! In the U.K. prevention media focuses on a message of ‘Shared Responsibility’ pointing to the environmental and social harms associated with illicit use. In the Netherlands media focuses on ‘Real Life Stories’ painting pictures of socially normative beliefs and positive role models rather than warnings of the consequences of use. This approach has helped to change the social perspective of cannabis.
Lastly, in terms of the West Ward, the availability of cannabis and other illicit drugs is disturbing. While the police cannot solve the problem alone it is absolutely necessary for our police department and legislators not to make the historic distinction between what is the responsibility of ‘law enforcement’ as opposed to what is the responsibility of ‘social services.’ Crime reduction must be a holistic approach inclusive of NGO’s, community, law enforcement, the judicial system--we cannot 'stay in our lanes' any longer. We simply point our fingers too many times at others failing to see the ones that are pointing back at us. This continues to be the greatest challenge for our city and county.
Even in Europe, despite the evidence, the lion’s share of funding for drug consumption and distribution reduction, as with the U.S. and our city and county, is poured into law enforcement and incarceration.
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I chair Northampton County's Drug and Alcohol Division Advisory Board. The budget is dwarfed by law enforcement and prison allocations. Because of the swelling population of NHC Prison and size we are unable to implement a drug court, one of the most critical pieces to reduce drug use and recidivism.
I worked on Rikers Island for a short while in 2000, teaching poetry to inmates, and at that time was told that the inmate population was approximately 22,000 low security inmates, and that the vast majority were in for either marijuana or prostitution offenses. That really stunned me--the idea that the most productive thing we as a society can think of to do with 22,000 nonviolent citizens is to lock them up and take up space that could be reserved for violent purveyors of hard drugs like cocaine and heroine, rapists and murderers.
I was similarly stunned to find out that here in Northampton County, we lock up fathers who are behind on child support, when our jail is overcrowded and expanding in the middle of our neighborhood. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for holding fathers accountable for the children they father, but it just seems a little crazy to me to be holding men in jail, who are not in for any violent reasons, with limited work release available, when they are being held because they are behind on a debt. This is a literal form of modern-day debtors prison in my mind, a debilitating catch 22, that could be better handled through garnished wages if they were free to work.
In the meantime, we learned at a Safety Committee meeting with Lt. Remaley last year, that the jail is often forced to release one or two inmates before their sentence is served to make room when a real bad guy is caught. So why are we taking up overcrowded jail space with deadbeat dads and potheads who pose no violent threat to our community?
We have been sending a terrifically mixed message to Americans for years by grouping marijuana together with hard drugs like cocaine, heroine and meth in the War on Drugs, while approving marijuana usage for cancer patients, people with cataracts, and those in need of serious pain and/or nausea management. If the drug is not harmful to those of us in the most delicate of physical conditions, how can we keep professing that it is harmful to healthy people?
The worst result I've ever seen come from smoking marijuana is lethargy, if someone is a "wake-and-bake" daily smoker. Then again, people get lethargic when they eat themselves into obesity as well, and we don't put people in jail for eating food, we leave people responsible for their own moderation.
Call me a radical, but I think marijuana should be legalized and taxed, and that we should save the jail beds for coke-dealing gangsters, thereby bringing in needed revenue for the City, while slowing jail expansion.
taxing everything does not solve the problem.only puts more money in the hands of corrupt politicians.also south America and mexico supply most of our herion in U.S.and miss jones you tell those two boarder agents that spent years in jail for shooting that mexican drug dealer in the ass.and who was caught a second time bringing more drugs in the U.S. again. that its hardly the only issue.does anyone know what % of those arrested are in jail for doing something wrong after smokeing weed.
again, this emphasis on the Mexican border...what of our two ocean borders? we have ports up and down both coast lines, and again, i invite anyone interested to watch The Wire on Netflix to see how much corruption in the shipyards and within various levels of government, is also a key element contributing to our open-air drug markets.
fixation on the Mexican border strikes me as a desire for the simplicity of having one group of people to blame, as opposed to tackling the complexity of the big picture.
Now you know I had to jump right in on this one I think Noel just wanted to fire me up as if I ever needed firing up.. I am still on the Slumlord thing but I will take a moment or two to put my 2 cents in! Yes,we will see the decriminalization of Marijuana in my lifetime, having spent time in Amsterdam,and after visiting a cafe where one could partake of the "evil"weed if one wanted,I must admit that it kinda of reminded me of Roe vs Wade. You were given the choice and you did not run the risk of being arrested or sneaking down to the old"speakeasy"and risking your life,reputation etc. Now ,please do not equate that with the whole abortion issue that is another venue. But,we discussed that subject while enjoying the coffee shop.While I agree with both Tims,the issue is a moral issue and also one of personal responsibility. Addiction is genetic,and true there is no evidence to support that pot,is a gateway drug but if there is a propensity for an addiction issue in one's family than one should be taught that at an early age that addiction is a disease and early intervention and dare I say TREATMENT,is the answer. In my own family,my son had a problem with heroin and spent time on Riker's island,where Noel is correct in her reporting of the population.
Our county prison,is full of non-violent offenders who are sitting,waiting,being charged for services and we as taxpayers are footing the bill.For What?
Chief Palmer is right we can not arrest the drug problem away,but I do see the decriminalization as a source of control and revenue for TREATMENT. But alas,we have the not in my Neighborhood mentality and that saddens me,because sometimes without some form of intervention we have issues like we have right now,overcrowded prisons,young folks dying etc.So there is no simple answer,it is an infrastructure thing just as Noel says in reference to the"Wire"
The lobbies for drug reform are becoming just a strong as the Pharmaceutical lobbies just go onto NORML's website or Drug Sense and you can see the strength of the movement. I have watched as friends came home from Vietnam addicted to high grade heroin and I have watched friends die from cancer only finding relief in the evil weed and I have suffered the pain of a mother who was powerless over her son's actions as I watched him struggle with his disease. So we can continue to turn or heads and say,that won't happen to me. But unfortunately,life is what happens while we are making other plans.Sadly,addiction knows no boundaries,rich, poor,educated or uneducated we can not seal up our boundaries and protect ourselves as in the womb,on the contrary we must embrace these new concepts and become open minded to new thought and ideas because what we have now,DOES NOT WORK!!!
Noel not sure what you mean by (simple answer and a specific group).The Mexican boarder is a huge issue in this country.It has people being smuggled in being raped murderd sold in to prostitution.Which adds to those low security inmates.A huge supply of herion coming in and 90% of drugs in U.S. 20 million americans unemployed illegals being given jobs.MS 13 is growing stronger Americans being murderd then they flee back to mexico.And so are you saying we dont start with Mexican borders first.That would not be agood start dont you think. Sunday 9pm Border Wars on National Geographic.
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