I believe this task force is better at looking at this problem because they are going to look at it from a local level including all the stake holders. I've never said we need them for whatever reason they deem they are necessary. I am sorry if that is what you got out of this, but I believe I have been very clear to explain that this is a group which includes some very critical thinkers, as well as other stakeholders who have a first hand account of what the problem might be.
The problem, as it exists may not pose the same issues as in Baltimore City as it does in Leonardtown.
How do YOU fix the problem. You have a lot of issues with this task force, but you haven't come up with ideas on how to fix this problem. Share your wisdom.
You can't seriously think this task force is a new idea, do you? You can't believe this is the only time the state has looked at local drug use issues, can you? what has all these "drug summits" in St. Mary's accomplished? Sitting in a room, bringing out ex-addicts and sharing their sob stories, then singing kumbaya afterward has done, what, exactly?
You keep saying, "stakeholders". Whom would that be?
What I meant by "whatever reason they deem they are necessary", is that this task force (or any, for that matter) will not come back to Hogan and say "Well, there's nothing we can do, no use in this task force". They believe they can get something done regardless of roadblocks that are in their way. I know you believe there are critical thinkers in the group, and that's good, but how do they differ from the people at DHMH or other groups that focus on drug use?
How I'd fix the problem? How long do you have?
First off, I'd flat out tell everyone the drug war isn't working. Treating addicts and users as criminals is not working, and addicts should be treated as sick people that deserve treatment, not jail. I'd recommend decriminalizing all drugs and re-focus a portion of the money wasted on criminalizing these people into treating them.
I have first hand experience with this heroin "epidemic" and will tell you that there are little resources for addicts out there that don't require large sums of money. We should build these treatment centers and not rely on volunteers or grants to do so. Of course, if Hogan is saying the state is broke, and his task force says the state should build treatment centers, then what? Removing the financial burden of enforcing drug laws from law enforcement would save money, and possibly enough to build these treatment centers.
These things go hand in hand, and Hogan cannot, with a straight face say to the state, "we need to make cuts because we're broke", then appoint this task force to focus on a problem that kills 0.007% of MD's population. A task force that, in reality, can't do much outside of recommending things. Things the state can't pay for.
Narcan implementation is a good thing, but that wasn't Hogan's doing, and they didn't need a special task force to implement that. It was done through the state agency that already focuses on drug abuse.
