Local Casualties of the Drug War?

Randolph County indictments reported in today's Randolph Leader show a disproportionate number of drug cases. While there was a fair number of sex cases, it seems from an initial glance that most cases involved controlled substances. And one could possibly argue that many of the other cases, and probably plenty that have yet to be resolved, involved drugs. While I'm ranting, for the record, I'll suggest that "Theft by Fraudulent Leasing" cases are a waste of law enforcement resources. "Lock them up and ..." ideas of course relate to today's earlier post on the overcrowding of our county jail. Are these folks without blame? Hardly! Still, there are intelligent and effective options that must be exhausted before we send these people fully into the criminal justice system. The Drug Policy Alliance is a good starting point for any discussion on illegal drug issues. Walter Cronkite recently wrote a solid opinion piece at HuffPo on the failures of the War on Drugs. Peace ... or War!