Walters
Drug
Czar
Nomination
Under
Contention
in
Senate
10/26/01
The Bush nomination for director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy ("drug czar"), John Walters, is proving to be much less of a shoo-in than supporters and opponents previously thought. A number of Senators on the Judiciary Committee, which must make a recommendation to the full Senate, for or against, were critical of Walters. The following quotes and info were provided by The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation (http://www.drugpolicy.org): Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), who chaired the hearing, gave the hearing's opening remarks. Much of what he said was critical of Walters. While he emphasized that he had the utmost respect for John Walters, he noted that there are a number of issues on which he and Walters disagree. "I am particularly troubled by Mr. Walters' many writings regarding drug treatment," he said. "He has written that the 'view that therapy by a team of counselors, physicians and specialists is the only effective way to reduce drug use' is a 'myth.' In contrast, the top doctors and scientists in the field of addiction believe that addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease and that addiction treatment is as successful as treatment for other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma." Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was equally critical of Walters. "I do not doubt that John Walters has thought seriously about our nation's drug problems," Leahy said, "but I do doubt the conclusions that he has reached and forcefully expressed on issues ranging from drug treatment to interdiction to sentencing issues... In short, I'm not yet convinced that he is the right person to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy." Leahy criticized Walters heavily in four areas: Walters' lack of commitment to treatment: "Although Mr. Walters has not developed a lengthy record on treatment questions, some of his statements have caused great concern among those who care about treating drug addiction." Walters' punitive criminal justice views: "Many of us -- Democrats and Republicans -- have come to question our reliance on mandatory minimum sentences for a wide variety of drug offenses, as well as the 100 to 1 disparity under current law between sentences for crack and powder cocaine. In his writings and statements, Mr. Walters has been hostile to reconsideration of these issues." Walters' opposition to state medical marijuana laws: "Mr. Walters has responded to this trend by advocating that the federal government use the Controlled Substances Act to take away the federal licenses from any physician who prescribes marijuana to a patient in states that permit the practice... In addition to running roughshod over any federalism concerns whatsoever, Mr. Walters' draconian response raises questions about his sense of proportion." Walters' support for escalation of the Latin American drug war: "I am concerned that Mr. Walters will seek to have the United States overextend its anti-drug role in Latin America... The costs -- both financial and political -- of our involvement in the internal affairs of Latin American nations require close scrutiny." Other Senators that criticized Walters on various grounds included Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Herbert Kohl (D-WI). Senators that praised Walters included Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS).
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