Heroin problem: 'We're not going to arrest our way out of this'

The Dispatch / The Rock Island Argus [IL] ^ | January 18, 2015 | Rachel Warmke

[ConservingFreedom]

Local law enforcers, such as Rock Island County State's Attorney John McGehee and Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Director Kevin Winslow say the solution to the heroin problem is to stop the dealers.

"We don't focus on addicts and users," Mr. Winslow said. "I think law enforcement as a whole wants to get the source of the problem."

In 2014, local officials filed their first case of drug-induced homicide against Jamil Steward, 26, of East Moline, who was accused of selling heroin that caused the overdose death of Michael Reid, 26, of Silvis.

Mr. Steward entered an Alford plea on Dec. 8 to felony unlawful delivery and is serving seven years in prison. In an Alford plea, the defendant doesn't plead guilty but admits there is enough evidence to convict him.

Similar cases have been brought to federal court, where the penalties are stiffer.

Prison not the answer

Not everyone thinks prison is the answer.

Former Davenport police officer Brian Gaughan was 20 when began his career in 1980. He said he became disenchanted with the War on Drugs while working as an undercover cop in Chicago.

He said he befriended a drug dealer to gather information against him and, at one point, was taken aside by the dealer's mother, who thanked him for being a positive influence on her son, who had gotten involved with the wrong crowd after his father died.

That conversation was life-altering, said Mr. Gaughan, who left police work for a career in firefighting. Now a speaker with the national nonprofit Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, he advocates for decriminalization and regulation of controlled substances in the United States.

"Arresting a dealer doesn't solve any problems at all," he said. "In fact, it exacerbates problems.”

Game of whack-a-mole

He believes the theory that "going after dealers will mean less drugs" is misguided, comparing it to a game of whack-a-mole -- "You arrest one guy and three more pop up.”

Mr. Gaughan said there's an endless supply of drug dealers to replace ones who are arrested, and that can lead to turf wars and gang violence.

He supports reform of the criminal justice system, saying more resources should be allocated for drug treatment and social support on the front end to reduce demand and curb drug-related criminal behavior.

“We spend an awful lot of money in jailing people. We don't spend nearly as much money treating them,” said Mary Engholm, executive director of the Rock Island County Council on Addictions.

Overcrowding and lack of local treatment providers has led to lengthy wait times for treatment and limited long-term case management, she said.

That's created a “different class of criminal,” including users -- some homeless and without proper help -- who commit petty crimes and cycle in and out of the courts like a "revolving door," Ms. Engholm said.

More people have been able to access treatment since the Affordable Care Act was passed, but RICCA's long-term residential facility remains filled to its 34-bed capacity, she said.

Naloxone for overdoses

In Iowa, activists are seeking to pass a Good Samaritan law similar to ones passed in Illinois and 19 other states that allow people to report an emergency overdose without fear of being arrested.

"It could save lives," said Kim Brown, of Davenport, co-founder of the QC Overdose Awareness Walk, an annual event that started last year. The bill would allow over-the-counter purchase of Naloxone, a drug carried by paramedics that can reverse opiate overdoses, she said.

According to the Trust for American Health, a national group concerned about a prescription drug “epidemic,” from 1999 through 2013, the number of drug overdose deaths quadrupled in Iowa and increased by 49 percent in Illinois.

Ms. Brown, whose 33-year-old son Andy died from an overdose in May 2011, believes those numbers could be reduced if Naloxone were more readily available.

She said her son was a fun-loving man who played football and loved his two sons. She doesn't know when his addiction began, but she speculated it may have been after he was prescribed opiates following a surgical procedure.

No one wants to be an addict

“Nobody's born saying they want to grow up to become an addict.” Ms. Brown said, adding that addicts often are “stigmatized and shamed” rather than treated. “We've got to find a better way.”

Mr. Gaughan points to places such as Portugal, where drug use was decriminalized in 2001, and Switzerland, which offers heroin addicts access to clinics with clean needles and pure heroin as part of drug treatment services, as examples to emulate.

“Putting someone in a cage doesn't solve the problem at all,” he said.

Mr. Winslow said he realizes "we're not going to arrest our way out of this."

He recommends a coordinated effort by local police, courts and treatment centers to identify and treat the source of addiction for users, while halting those who profit from heroin distribution.

[JoeFromSidney]

Switzerland, which offers heroin addicts access to clinics with clean needles and pure heroin as part of drug treatment services, as examples to emulate.

I don't think Swiss "needle parks" are anything to emulate. Still, I favor decriminalization.

[gdani]

>>>In any event, how exactly does the Government (or anyone else) get reliable figures on how much of any kind of illegal, underground activity occurs?

>Methodologies are cited in the report.

Ahh, yes. Now I see. They paid people $30 to take interviews. Seems pretty airtight.....

[Lurker]

Still trying to square it with Article 1, Section 8 and that pesky 10th Amendment thingy I’m afraid.

Looks to me like it’s Un-Constitutional on its face.

Have you had any luck finding that specific, enumerated power we discussed earlier? Maybe your eyes are better than mine because I’m having a devil of a time finding it.

Why don’t you just come out and admit that you don’t give a rodents anus for what’s in the Constitution and be done with it. At least then we could have an honest discussion.

L

[DiogenesLamp]

While you’re at it please cite for me exactly where in Article 2, Section 8 the federal government is granted the specific, enumerated power to regulate what people put in their bodies.

It's called THE DEFENSE CLAUSE. As it is apparent from history, that NOT STOPPING DRUGS will destroy a nation, it is within the mandate of DEFENSE OF THE NATION to stop people from putting mind altering substances into their or anyone else's bodies.

It falls under the umbrella of defense against enemies foreign and domestic.

[outpostinmass2]

I found something:

Article 1 Section 8: “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”

How did you make out?

[Lurker]

“It’s called THE DEFENSE CLAUSE”

Do you mean to say the power to declare War?

L

[ConservingFreedom]

it is within the mandate of DEFENSE OF THE NATION to stop people from putting mind altering substances into their or anyone else's bodies.

Y'know, like Roe v Wade's "emanations" from "penumbras" or Wickard v Filburn's "substantial effects" - a new frontier in the 'living Constitution'.

[Lurker]

“Article 1 Section 8: “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”

Oh dear, no I’m going to have to refer you to another set of documents called The Federalist Papers so you can learn what was intended by that one. Guess what, it wasn’t what you think it was.

Isn’t learning about the Constitution fun?

L

[ConservingFreedom]

I don't think Swiss "needle parks" are anything to emulate.

They're not referring to Needle Park, which Switzerland quickly abandoned; it's obvious that legalizing in a single small area will concentrate sale and use in that small area, with all the predictable harms.

[gdani]

Article 1 Section 8: “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”

Luckily, past administrations and sessions of Congress have only used their Commerce Clause authority in the most narrowly-defined & conservative of purposes.

No, wait...

[DiogenesLamp]

The grownups will stay here and enjoy the limited, constitutional government our Founders gave to us.

You flatter yourself. You are Anything but a grown up. You are a winy little Libertarian doper who thinks the world will blow up in a Fascist apocalypse if someone slaps your hand and tells you "no".

You don't have a right to do dope, you NEVER had a right to do dope, and the rest of us who want to live peaceably in this world do not want to deal with the problems caused by you childish little brats who think you ought to be tolerated in the smoking of your dope.

This is what you look like to the real grownups in this country.

I want my DOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[Lurker]

No, it isn’t. And no amount of capital letters will make it so.

Now, I believe you have a move to arrange. Singapore, wasn’t it? Don’t forget to write. Oh and enjoy paying a $60,000 tax on an automobile.

Don’t forget the chewing gum prescription. It’s terribly important.

L

[outpostinmass2]

I don’t what you’re talking about I’m having an adult conversation just like you asked. So when is the Supreme Court going to dissolve the FDA?

[ConservingFreedom]

"You posted a cartoon graphic, so you must be right. You win the debate! Good job!"

[DiogenesLamp]

Please quote the favorable claim about drugs and drug usage in this article.

Not going to play your stupid word games. Your message is loud and clear. "ARRESTING DOPERS DOESN'T WORK".

It is just another Pro-Dope ADVOCACY piece from you.

[ConservingFreedom]

So when is the Supreme Court going to dissolve the FDA?

Right after they allow the states to restrict abortions. Are you really arguing on a conservative site that the Supreme Court is a reliable measure of adherence to the Constitution?

[Lurker]

“So when is the Supreme Court going to dissolve the FDA?”

Now that’s the best question of the thread. About the same time they admit Roe v Wade or Wickard v Filburn were mistakes I suppose.

L

[outpostinmass2]

“Article 1 Section 8: “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”

Oh dear, no I’m going to have to refer you to another set of documents called The Federalist Papers so you can learn what was intended by that one. Guess what, it wasn’t what you think it was.

Isn’t learning about the Constitution fun?

L

---

I agree this is fun. What do you think of the 100 patients who died due to sulfanilamide medication poising? Those jerks brought about the FDA. The owner of the company, when pressed to admit some measure of culpability, infamously answered, You should read up on the Elixir sulfanilamide disaster. This is what the owner of S.E. Massengill Company had to say: “We have been supplying a legitimate professional demand and not once could have foreseen the unlooked-for results. I do not feel that there was any responsibility on our part.”

[ConservingFreedom]

articles highlighting some favorable claim about drugs and drug usage.

Please quote the favorable claim about drugs and drug usage in this article.

"ARRESTING DOPERS DOESN'T WORK".

How is that a favorable claim about drugs and drug usage?

[DiogenesLamp]

Singapore itself seems less gung-ho about the success of its current drug policies than some FReepers:

More like an effort to deal with whiny country's who object to their citizens getting hung, rather than due to any lack of effectiveness at curtailing drugs. I assure you, there is ZERO RECIDIVISM for *THEIR* convicted drug dealers.