Because of limited space, I recently put an abbreviated version of my stances on illegal drug policy in our local papers. Here is the complete version:

It is a terrible thing to see your generation being destroyed, not by poverty or starvation, but by addiction. I see people I grew up with who have died or are dying from addiction to Oxycontin and heroin. This issue is very personal to me and very important to me. This disease affects all of us. So, I am grateful that other candidates in this race have made drugs a key part of their platforms. Mark has talked about an increase rehab facilities so supply for rehab can keep up with demand. Mike has talked about programs that keep kids off the streets to make sure kids have role models and stay away from drugs. I give my opponents their due credit, because all of our community is in this together; and with a problem as big as drugs it’s going to take more than one man’s ideas…it’s going to take the best of all of us to tackle this problem head on.

Drugs will always be here. Any politician who promises policies that will completely rid their town of drugs is just lying to you. It is easier to get elected if you can convince people you are tough on crime. However, it is time that we as a society become smart on crime. I believe, as John F. Kennedy believed, “Our problems are man-made; therefore they may be solved by man.” As your state representative, my first and foremost priority will to use our state government as a tool to fight drugs in ways that will make greater our quality of life, make our streets safer, and keep people alive.

Drug Court. For decades, we’ve heard politicians talk about the War on Drugs because it’s a way of looking tough on crime. But look around. The war is not won. We are losing battle after battle in the war on drugs. We need a new strategy, and a new way of thinking, because we are not at war with the people of Massachusetts. As your State Representative, I will work to shift funding from incarceration to drug prevention, treatment and pre-trial diversion. We must make sure that the drug courts in Massachusetts are given stable funding and support. The drug courts are a second chance for nonviolent offenders convicted of drug offenses. Offenders are required to meet with a judge on a regular basis, attend treatment programs, and submit to regular and random drug testing.

The quantifiable benefits of drug courts are hard to ignore. By keeping these nonviolent offenders out of prison, we will not only help keep families together, we will alleviate our prison overpopulation. Drug courts have been proven to reduce drug related crime more than any other sentencing option and they are 6 times more likely to keep offenders in treatment programs long enough to get their lives back on track. Furthermore, every dollar we spend on drug court saves this state 3 dollars we would otherwise spend on incarceration. So, what does that all mean? Drug court keeps prisons from being overpopulated, lowers crime, actually fights drug addiction AND is cheaper than our current method of detention. We need real solutions to the terrible drug epidemic that is plaguing our community and this much is clear: we cannot arrest our way out of this problem.

Veterans Drug Court. I will propose legislation that will create a Veterans Court in Massachusetts. Veterans need their own diversion programs because of the unique connection of PTSD and brain trauma to drug and alcohol abuse which leads to most of crimes committed by veterans. This court will be based on the Drug Court model, but defendants will have access to Veteran mentors, Veteran support groups, and Veterans Affairs representatives. Through collaboration with all of these veterans groups, this court will provide a network of support to veterans dealing with PTSD and addiction while keeping them out of jail.

Drug Rehab for Pregnant Women. I will work to fund a media campaign that urges pregnant women who are addicted to drugs or alcohol to seek treatment. I will fight to ensure that drug rehabilitation facilities give priority admittance to pregnant women; and I will work with all state and local agencies to make sure rehab facilities that treat pregnant women are equipped to provide proper prenatal care and counseling because the health of their child is at stake. I believe that this strategy is vital because we won’t just be saving one life, we will be saving two.

Fight Against Mandatory Minimums. The recently signed CORI Reform legislation does a lot to mitigate the effects of unnecessary mandatory minimums in Massachusetts. However, more can be done. I fully support the efforts and legislative recommendations of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Drug Policy Task Force. The CORI Reform legislation allows those non-violent drug offenders in county House of Corrections facilities to be eligible for parole after serving ½ of their sentences. As your State Representative, I will support legislation that expands parole eligibility to non-violent drug offenders in state Department of Corrections facilities. Mandatory minimums for non-violent drug offenders are unnecessary and unfair. It’s a way of looking tough on crime without any actual benefit to the state. These offenders should be allowed the same parole eligibility of other non-violent offenders. This also means access to mitigating factors like good conduct points and work release programs.

Crack Down on Fraud. Government assistance programs such as food stamps are a vital program that lends a helping hand to many families in our community who are struggling. Unfortunately, more and more our food stamp program is being used to purchase illegal drugs. It is offensive both to the tax payers who fund these programs and the struggling families out there who do not break the law and need these services. I will work closely with the State Auditor’s Bureau of Special Investigation to crack down on fraudulent use of our state’s public assistance programs.

Revolutionize Our Community. If we are going to make any kind of difference in this community, we can’t just rely on government solutions. If we do, we will forever fall short. We need to change the way we think about drugs in this neighborhood. When I was 13, seeing the older kids doing lines of cocaine in the project hallways seemed normal to me.  The people in this neighborhood, many of whom have never taken drugs, have been around drugs their whole lives. It should not be normal. When drugs become just another part of life something happens to us. We may never get to the point where we think selling drugs is acceptable…but sometimes we get to a point where we care enough to complain about the problem, but feel powerless to really do anything about it.

So, how do I know that mentality exists? Because I once thought that way—the thought that you’re powerless to do anything about the problem. Well, I resolved a long time ago that it was not only my right to try and change things, but my obligation. I do not want anyone in this neighborhood to feel powerless.  If you see drugs being dealt in our community, you must say something. If you have any information that could help police get drug dealers off our streets, please call the City of Boston’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-494-TIPS. We are all affected by this problem, so we must all take part in the solution.

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