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Goold Asks Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey to Support Nation Drug Reform DebateBarry R. McCaffrey September 24, 1999 Dear General McCaffrey: Marijuana: Overall use was steady in 1998 with about 11 million Americans smoking it in the month preceding the survey. The study found a slight increase in marijuana use among Americans 35 and older, a pattern that has continued in recent years. The number of young teens who reported trying marijuana for the first time was down -- from 18.8% in 1997 to 16.4% last year and the average age of "first use went up." However, among 18- to 25-year-olds, drug use increased from 14.7% to 16.1% during the same period. Heroin: Over 130,000 people currently use heroin. This is double the number in 1993. Further, the age of users is dropping. In 1997, the typical heroin user was 17.6 years old the first time they tried it, down from 18.3 years old in 1996. Cocaine: The number of users was stable in 1998, with about 1.75 million users. There were increases among teens and young adults from 1.2% in 1997 to 2% in 1998. Cigarettes: Some 60 million Americans age 12 and up, or about 27.7%, said they were current smokers, down from 29.6% in 1997. Among young adults, the percentage has steadily increased from 34.6% in 1994 to 41.6% last year. Cigars: Use increased to 6.9% last year from 5.9% in 1997. The survey said drug use increased among minority groups. The percent of African Americans currently using drugs jumped from 5.8% in 1993 to 8.2% last year. Hispanics saw a similar rise, from 4.4% to 6.1% over those five years. All told, 78 million Americans have tried illegal drugs at some point in their lives. This is approximately a third of our current population. The study also suggests marijuana drives teen and adult drug use. This substance attracts nearly twice as many users as cocaine, heroine, LSD and other drugs combined. In my professional opinion, tobacco experimentation drives illicit drug use. A substantial body of literature supports this assertion. Since our nation is experiencing exponential increases in smoking and tobacco use, I expect fully illicit drug use by young adults to continue rising over the next few years. The current national policy regarding illicit drug use turns youthful experimentation and rebellion into criminal acts. This erodes society's respect for law and order. If we penalized everyone who ever used illegal drugs, our law enforcement and court systems would be overwhelmed. As such, our current system discriminates unfairly about who will and will not be punished. This is the greatest injustice of all. I ask you to consider the effect of redirecting just half our current law enforcement resources toward education efforts. As Governor Johnson stated, we cannot lock up a nation to achieve our desired results. History clearly shows what alcohol prohibition created within our nation. We have a similar situation today. I believe we are at greater risk today of being harmed by a "drive-by" or shoot out between police and gangsters related to drug trafficking. Our national drug policy has increased violence in society as well as the number of guns. It has not reduced significantly illicit drug use. I am unsure whether drug legalization is "at odds with the views of the American people" as you say. I am sure that Governor Johnson's "Just Say Know" program is in the best interest of representative democracy. I ask you to reconsider your position and encourage the nation to debate fully this issue. While the result may be to retain our present system, deliberation serves as a useful tool in the education of all citizens. I thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. Sincerely, Scott Goold, Ph.D.* Cc: Honorable Governor Gary Johnson Albuquerque Journal |