Disparity and Despair

In a recent column about marijuana, I made these three key points: It is a mood- and mind-altering drug; it is illegal; and for some people, it causes serious consequences, including addiction.

Some readers responded with support for my perspective. "Pot made me infectiously goofy, wonderfully giddy and incredibly introspective before it caused me to not care anymore, and then I lost my job, my bank account, my girlfriend," wrote Paul D. from Des Moines, Iowa.

A few others pushed beyond my position that marijuana should remain illegal. "Anything that affects how we feel or how we think is dangerous and should be banned, and that includes alcohol," posited a pastor from Smyrna, Ga. "Alcohol is the worst drug curse on America."

But others pushed back, citing the surge in arrests for marijuana possession that is snaring a disproportionate number of people of color who are nonviolent, poor and end up behind bars. Lee E. from Shreveport, La., wrote: "You're a white dude who got addicted, but what about black guys like me whose only 'crime' is a couple of joints on the weekend? We're the ones paying the price of this stupid 'war on drugs.' If alcohol is legal, reefer should be too."

I'm against legalizing pot. But Lee's got a point. Two recent reports by the Sentencing Project in Washington and by Human Rights Watch in New York cite a persistent racial gap in drug arrests in America. Black men are nearly 12 times as likely to be imprisoned for drug offenses than white men, according to the report by Human Rights Watch. And four in 10 of all arrests were for marijuana possession, according to federal data.

The bottom line: In 2006, there were 1.89 million drug-related arrests, up from 1.85 million in 2005 and 581,000 in 1980. Most end up in overcrowded prisons and never get help.

The drug war gets results. But it has done almost nothing to reduce the problems caused by legal and illegal drugs mainly because it has consistently failed to recognize and promote a solution that works: prevention, treatment and recovery for people who possess and use these substances.

Dear Mr. Moyers: My young daughter is back in one of the three worst places in Florida: the St. Lucie County Jail. She was arrested again for having marijuana. The first time, she got released and was told not to do it. But she's an addict, and you know what happens; they do the same thing over and over again. So she got picked up a second time, was there 10 days, was let out and went right back to the drug house. This time she's been in jail almost 50 days, and I am very concerned about her mental state and physical state in that place. I don't want her in jail, but I don't want her on the streets again, either. She needs help. My heart is broken, and so is my family. This is truly a disease that kills whole families and is not comprehensible to people who haven't lived it. If you have any ideas about where I can go for some real help, please, please let me know. I will do anything! — Anne J. in Fort Pierce, Fla.

Dear Anne: There is only so much you can do, unless your daughter is willing to get help. If so, it is imperative that a judge assign her to the county drug court there. She will be held accountable for her offense by being sent to treatment. She broke the law because she is addicted. That is no excuse, but it is the explanation for why she keeps getting in trouble. By successfully completing the program, she won't spend time in prison, and her case may be dismissed. I suggest you write the judge a personal letter and also send a copy to the district attorney and her defense attorney. More importantly, she should write them a letter, too, explaining why she deserves another chance. Drug court can give her that chance, but only if she makes the effort.

William C. Moyers is the vice president of external affairs for the Hazelden Foundation and the author of "Broken," a best-selling memoir. The paperback edition was released in August 2007. Please send your questions to William Moyers at [e-mail]. To find out more about William Moyers and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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