Judges Say War on Drugs is Failing

Federal Judges Howard Munson and Robert Sweet say lawmakers must consider new ways to battle drug abuse.

U.S. District Judge Howard Munson threw a few jabs at fellow federal Judge Robert Sweet today as his friend and colleague spoke out against the war on drugs.

But the humor faded when Munson said agreed with Sweet on some points:

That the war on drugs is not working;
U.S. drug policies discriminate against low income people of color;
It's time for change.

"It's not working. Some of the sentences are an absolute abomination," Munson said as Sweet wrapped up a speech to 25 members and supporters of Reconsider.

"In the federal system, the penalty is a hundred times greater for crack cocaine than for powder cocaine. Who use crack cocaine and who uses powder? Think about that," Munson said.

Sweet, a senior federal judge in Manhattan, was the guest speaker at a luncheon hosted by Reconsider at Pascale's restaurant. Reconsider is a Syracuse-based group dedicated to drastically changing U.S. drug policy.

The luncheon kicked off an eight month fund raising campaign for the group. Reconsider received a $15,000 grant from the Drug Policy Foundation to incorporate as a nonprofit group and to start chapters throughout the state.

The group must raise $10,000 to match the grant. Reconsider paid for the luncheon hoping to gain publicity and encourage supporters to become more involved, said Peter Christ, a retired police chief and a founder of Reconsider.

Though the members often disagree on whether to legalize drugs, they all agree that the government's approach isn't working.

Munson is not a member of Reconsider. He said Sweet was his incentive to attend the luncheon. The two judges have been friends for years.

Sweet said he paid little attention to drug policies until 1988, when he was forced to sentence of 18 year-old boy with no prior criminal record to ten years in a federal prison.

The teen had been a bouncer for an apartment building where drugs were being sold. The sentence was mandatory under new laws that crack down on drug dealers.

"After that, I thought a lot about it," Sweet said. Sweet said he concluded that no new laws and no mandatory sentences will ever slow the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. The problem is the money the drug dealing generates-and that's almost an impossible enemy to defeat he said.

Sweet compared the drug war to prohibition and the illegal market it created. Society eventually realized alcohol abuse is a health problem, and began addressing the problem with treatment and education, he said.

The same strategy is working with tobacco and can work for drug use, Sweet said. Sweet urged Reconsider to concentrate on changing public opinion so lawmakers will feel more comfortable challenging the current drug policies.

Most cultures have accepted the use of some form of mind altering drugs throughout history, he said. Sweet said society should work to control drug use, not to abolish it.

"If nothing else, it's the human-it's the decent thing to do because we know what we have now is stigmatizing people, and that's not working" Sweet said. "There will be change, and you are going to be the people who change it. "

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