Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono, Placer Counties, CA November 3, 1998 General
Smart Voter

The War on Drugs

By Robert L. "Bob" Mulvany

Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 4

This information is provided by the candidate
The "war on drugs" is sending the wrong message to our kids. It it is telling them that the Bill of Rights is meaningless. When we demonize drugs and the drug culture, they know we are not telling them the whole truth, causing them to loose respect for anything we say. I would support legislation to remove drug control from law enforcement and place it with public health authorities.
Like most right-minded people, I deplore the tragic damage and destruction caused by addiction, but I believe the best harm reduction policy is a humane public health approach rather than police and military campaigns.

Swat teams destroy our basic rights but do nothing to reduce drug use. Legal drugs can be controlled and monitored. Illegal drugs cannot. Drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, provides criminals and gangs with obscene profits and power. Ending prohibition will deprive drug lords of their money and power to corrupt officials and expand their violence into our schools and neighborhoods.

While repeal of prohibition will not end addiction, it will make it less destructive and permit addicts to lead productive, nearly normal lives. Most importantly, it would end the incentive for addicts to steal and to addict others thus making our lives safer. Intimidating students with drug dogs and mandatory testing sends the wrong message. It tells our young people that the Bill of Rights has no meaning. Demonizing drugs may be good politics, but it does not keep kids off drugs. First, we must be honest with ourselves and with our children. If we send pharmacists instead of police officers to teach our young people about drugs and tell them the whole truth, they will gain the understanding and trust they need to make the correct choices about drugs, on their own, without fear or coercion.

Questions? Want a full candidate statement? e-mail rmulvany@jps.net

Next Page: Position Paper 2

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Race
November 1998 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 24, 1998 23:35
Smart Voter '98 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © 1998 League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.