Marijuana Policy Project

HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE 'WAR ON DRUGS,' WHERE SO MANY OF THE WOUNDS ARE SELF-INFLICTED?

In the 'war on drugs,' far too many of the wounds are self-inflicted. But in time, the damage almost always spreads to others.

Years ago, a woman called and suggested that The Sun Herald print and distribute money to erase poverty in South Mississippi. She was told that, even with our powerful printing presses, such a solution was not an option.

If only it were.

If only we could do that or, just as improbable, publish a recipe or print the instructions that, if followed, would make the ills of society vanish.

Instead we print stories, and hope that in telling them some people will read just the right words to cause them to do just the right thing.

We have just finished telling three stories in our continuing "Fighting Back" series on the abuse of drugs and its consequences.

The first was published on Sunday, and told the story of a woman whose son died of a drug overdose at a Mardi Gras party in 2001. As a result, she has started a Nar-Anon group. Just as Narcotics Anonymous seeks to assist drug abusers, Nar-Anon seeks to assist the family and friends of drug abusers.

The second was published on Monday, and it told the story of yet another effort to use the court system to give first-time drug offenders a second chance.

The third installment was published on Tuesday, and it detailed the latest efforts of the Long Beach Substance Abuse Task Force to halt drug abuse.

In time, our reporters will be back with another "Fighting Back" series, detailing more battles in the "war on drugs."

"The war on drugs."

That's a strange concept, considering that so many of the wounds in this conflict are self-inflicted. At least initially.

Because in time, the damage spreads.

It spreads to families and friends, who have been robbed of the personality of someone they love.

It spreads to employers, who have been robbed of the productivity and potential of someone they trusted.

It spreads to strangers, who grow weary of living in fear of people who have lost control of their senses.

It spreads to law enforcement officials, who have to contend with the destruction and death that constantly stalk the drug abuser.

It spreads to the jurists, who tire of sitting in judgment of those who can no longer judge for themselves.

It spreads to taxpayers, who are sick of being made responsible for those who behave so irresponsibly.

It spreads until no one seems untouched or untroubled. Most of the wounds in this war may be self-inflicted, but the damage they cause seeps into our homes and schools and workplaces and communities.

So you either surrender… or you fight back.

We have no intention of surrendering.

We have every intention of fighting back.

We cannot print money to end poverty. But we can and will continue to print the stories of individuals and institutions that are joining or carrying on the struggle.

And who knows, maybe one day we will print just the right recipe or just the right set of instructions.

© 2004, The Sun Herald

Newshawked-by: chip

Posted-by: Larry Seguin