RI needs clearer vision on drugs
RI needs clearer vision on drugs
Gwynne Dyer's article It's high time for the U.S. to stop war
against drugs in The Jakarta Post of April 5 criticizes drug
prohibitionism.
He contends that the U.S. is coercing developing countries
into joining a "futile and destructive crusade" against drugs
which are culturally unacceptable to American voters. He also
says that criminalizing drugs creates a lucrative, violent,
illegal drug trade and fills prisons unnecessarily.
However, it does not follow that legalizing more drugs is a
good idea. All drugs can disturb the health and behavior of
users. This includes legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco, drugs
abused by athletes and some drugs prescribed as pacifiers or that
are money-spinners for doctors. Also, drugs can afflict families
behaviorally and financially. With such a large and complex
problem, one cannot expect any strategy to simultaneously give
the ideal outcome for the individual, the family and the local
and international community.
In any case, in Indonesia, urbanization, unemployment and the
legacy of recent riots ensure that the rise in violent crime will
continue with or without drugs. Unlike America, Indonesia has no
money to build and maintain extra prisons so existing prisons
will become overcrowded and breed further violence and crime.
Meanwhile sensational crime reporting heightens the public's
anxiety.
Eventually, people will adjust by building more secure homes,
not carrying around bags full of cash, restricting their
movements at night and so on. In the meantime, many people are
acquiring firearms. The authorities make little effort to stop
the gun trade since the police and military naturally believe in
security through force. Ultimately, however, the proliferation of
guns harms the quality of life, especially for the poor, more
than drugs, poor sanitation, cramped houses or anything else.
The loudest political response to the crime surge up to now
has been a call for greater use of the death penalty. Executing
heroin traffickers alleviates society's sense of helplessness and
provides judges with potential extra income but institutionalizes
killing.
Indonesia needs clearer vision, direction and priorities in
facing the inescapable problems of drugs, crime and punishment.
JOHN HARGREAVES
Jakarta