Our Opinion: Enforcement posts victories in war on drugs

News Tribune editorial

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Enforcement is a key component in combating illegal drugs.

Confiscating supplies and arresting distributors resulted from major operations reported recently by area, state and national law enforcement agencies.

The growing use of heroin was the target of a major drug sweep conducted by the MUSTANG Drug Task Force and Jefferson City police.

The second phase of the sweep, reported last week, resulted in 33 arrests, combined with the overall 2012 total of more than 65 arrests.

The drug sweeps also involved the seizure of raw heroin, crack cocaine, packaging materials, drug money and firearms.

The MUSTANG announcement followed a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report targeting synthetic drugs, including bath salts and synthetic marijuana.

The nationwide DEA crackdown resulted in: 91 arrests and the seizure of more than $36 million in cash and five million packets of synthetic drugs.

Those statistics include six arrests and the seizure of more than 210,000 drug packets in the six-state region that includes Missouri.

These operations are necessary because these illegal drugs are killing people.

Calls to poison-control centers related to synthetic drugs rose from 3,200 in 2010 to 13,000 last year, with 60 percent involving people age 25 or younger.

The concept of supply and demand also applies to illegal drug trade. Intercepting illegal drugs and punishing distributors are necessary to diminish the supply of dangerous and deadly drugs. We must, however, be equally conscientious about reducing demand through awareness, education and prevention programs. We also must provide treatment for addicts who have a sincere desire to reverse the downward spiral of their lives. The war on drugs requires us to be vigilant and resolute.

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PatsyDecline 9 months, 3 weeks ago

The War on Drugs is an abysmal failure. We as a nation should be ashamed of ourselves.

We imprison more of our citizens then China now, at a cost a trillions of tax dollars and millions of broken families, only to feed the cycle of dysfunction.

May God Bless America indeed.

asb 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Perspective again . . . I see America as the greatest nation on earth and in history, not a failure. Your wretched world view could use a little hug Grace . . . but I'll pass for now . . .

asb 9 months, 3 weeks ago

And yet, nobody who wants drugs has any trouble finding them. Supply and demand indeed. Now a few words about the moral decay of our nation for a lack of proper attention to Christian values caused by the endless war on American goodness by the evil left . . . Gracefull? Spel? Anybody out there on the FRight want to weigh in here? Vigilant? Resolute? These are either British warships or the NT has gone completely wacko with the dictionary again.

asb 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Our problems are the result of greed and lies from the PR arm of the FRight, wealthy tax dodgers, and religious fundamentalists forcing their beliefs on the rest of us. Nobody in America has not been exposed to Christian teaching, the good and the insane.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Malarkey. I went to school before any of the rulings on religion in the schools and NO ONE was teaching religion in public schools.

asb 9 months, 3 weeks ago

BubbaD I'm on your side here I think. I didn't say exposed in the schools, there are enough sources outside the schools to assure that anybody raised in America has a thorough exposure to Christianity. But, since you brought it up, I've been from k through BA and I really don't think a year, a semester, or a class went by that either a teacher or student didn't slip in a little Jesus. Curriculum? No. Exposure? Yes.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

I grew up in one of Missouri's most conservative and religious communities. I don't remember much mention of religion in grade school, high school or at University. I was raised in church, so perhaps it escaped my attention since it wouldn't have been new to me. But there is no doubt that none of my teachers taught any Christian concepts or biblical stories.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Thought they knew better? You misconstrue the motivation for separation of church and public education. The motivation was to leave an equal playing field for all religions. What you have written is fiction. School was never the venue for religious teachings. Perhaps you attended parochial school and have no clue what was typical in public schools

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Just flat wrong. I said nothing about church and state and fairness dictates that a nation with no official religion will not "teach" any one religion. Your revision of history is myopic and self-serving. Besides, it is not up to those who run the schools to determine what public schools teach. It is up to the law and the community.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Yes, but you ignore the 14th Amendment which extends the scope of the entire 1st Amendment to all levels of government. I wasn't trying to make that point originally, but rather a point regarding fairness. None the less, the truth is that the 14th does require separation of church and state at the state and local level.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Your opinion. Not fact.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

I have interest in what is the current rule of law. Your opinion falls outside that. So, yes, I have little to no interest in your opinion.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Mere gain saying doesn't make your case and makes it more and more apparent that you act on an agenda and lack reasoning.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

That would be pointless because teaching Christianity in schools was never the issue.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Prayer is not teaching. Your posts here are unreasoned because you ignore that difference. You can persist in this vein but you are not making your case.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

My goodness. More malarkey. Forcing someone to recite a rote prayer that doesn't conform to their religion, or lack of it, teaches nothing. Well, perhaps revulsion. What is thoughtful about that? You can make empty assertions like this, but you still are far from proving any connection between the cessation of prayer in schools and some perceived general moral decline.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

So you are all fine with indoctrination without understanding? Why am I not surprised?

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Make a specific accusation about "left wing philosophy" indoctrination in public schools. What are we talking about here, science?

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Well, by specific, I meant a reference to an actual instance, documented publicly.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

I certainly disagree with that practice. Good point, I had no idea. I'm not sure it is political, or "left wing", but it is certainly objectionable. This type of thing is for parents to teach, in my opinion.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Further, school prayer does not teach Christianity and you've not made your case that anyone was teaching Christianity in public schools. School prayer is an expression of a religion already held, not proselytizing.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

All about prayer. None about teaching Christianity. You still fail to prove that schools were teaching Christianity to any great effect prior to these rulings and hence you have failed to prove that these rulings had a chilling effect on morality in America.

dokeus6 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Between k-12, I was never once exposed to any type of bible studies in the public school system. I received my bible studies at the church where they belong. I did however have to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I don't really think that hurt me in anyway.

The nation has deteriorated because of the need of power and greed from the one percent that rule this country.

Grace your hatred against free spirited people is showing. Why can't you accept the fact that people have free will and are going to do what they want when they want.

The Mother Mary in control syndrome far right holier than thou Christians cannot keep her thumb on people's individuality and personalities.

Acceptance is the first step in moving on to happiness.

Grace Accept that you can't control every situation.

Accept.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on the moral considerations that you mention here. Many other religions hold those same moral values.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

So the majority can force their religion on a minority religion? That's just wrong.....and amazingly tone deaf considering the reasons our nation was founded.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Again with the malarkey. No religion in schools means no one is forcing anyone's views on anyone else. Precisely the point, actually.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Actually, the 14th amendment is the basis for that outcome.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

It isn't a minority that is forcing this issue. And for that matter, you don't necessarily represent a majority. Not all Christians believe as you do. Me, for instance.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Not to simply "get its way" but rather to enjoy the rule of law. You should try it some time. How ironic that you would impugn my fondness for democracy. It is you who would assert your opinion in place of the rule of law.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Your opinion doesn't substitute for logic, either. You can't dismiss a court ruling for lack of justification or disagreement with a justification. You can seek to overturn the ruling, but you can't dismiss it.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Then it IS the rule of law and nothing is ironic about referring to it as such.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Well, then, ironic for YOUR OPINION. Not so much for everyone else. I suppose that is the point of view that allows you to post your opinions as if they were authoritative truths.

BubbaD 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Really? WOW

eileen10 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Sounds to me like the mustang DTF is doing a lot to cut down on all the low life nood nicks and I for one am greatful and thankful for all they do plus they put their lives on the line as the DTF is putting a stop to all the money these barbarians make and they sure don't want it to stop due to their greed and don't give a rip attitude. Then theres the problem with the drug users. Too much for my mind to handle because I don't really have a good answer so I trust the people who know about this stuff to do what their doing.God bless them and keep them safe.

Littleinvestor 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Some of the most moral people I know are avowed athiests as adults. They had good parents, and most were taken to church as children, so they were exposed to religion. My teachers in the 50s and 60s sometimes referred to the 10 commandments but they did not spout off theology in the classroom. Baptists and Methodists don't agree 100 percent on interpretation of the Bible, after all, and my community was mixed when it came to religious denominations. I do think it is possible to be moral and not religious. It is also possible to be religious (or at least in church a lot) and immoral. I try not to cast stones and focus on addressing my own sins and shortcomings. I don't know what is fueling America's huge appetite for drugs of all kinds. They only thing I am sure of is if the appetite for drugs was eliminated, there would be no need for a drug war. I have no answers.

Sequoia 9 months, 3 weeks ago

Decriminalize marijuana, and it will be the cheapest, and generally the safest, intoxicant on the market (black or otherwise) by far. Let people grow and trade their own supply, and the black market for both cannabis and other hard, dangerous drugs like crack and heroin will dry up.

People use drugs because they're bored, because drugs make people feel good. People use drugs because they can. It's pretty simple, really.

I won't argue that MUSTANG isn't doing an important job, but I will argue with the NT that jailing distributors of drugs curbs supply. It doesn't. Drugs will go away when human beings go away. DEA gets the low-hanging fruit. Plenty more where that came from. You can't arrest your way out of the drug problem.

It is a health issue, not just a crime issue.

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