Guest Column 2008
By Dave Rosenberg, Presiding Judge, Yolo Superior Court
Let’s chat about the “other war.”
Every single day in America, as we read our newspapers and watch our television news, we see detailed reports about the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. Yet there is another war that we rarely hear about. And this war is being fought right on the streets of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Woodland and Davis. It’s being waged on the streets of every city and village in this country. And people are injured and die in this war, as well.
I’m talking about the war on drugs. Every judge, prosecutor, defense lawyer, cop and deputy knows about this war. That’s because the vast majority of serious crime has some touchstone in drugs. It’s illegal to posses, transport, manufacture or sell a range of drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine among others. It’s also illegal to have prescription drugs if the prescription belongs to someone else. Every day in Yolo County and in every county in California and the United States, people are charged with these crimes, and minors are charged with juvenile offenses relating to drugs. Further, it’s not uncommon that people who use drugs are also charged with other crimes – such as burglary, robbery or prostitution – as they attempt to get money to pay for their habits.
Early in my judicial career, I presided in the drug courts of Yolo County. I saw, first hand, the effects of drugs on people. The “drug of choice” of most folks in Yolo County is methamphetamine – it is inexpensive and prevalent. And its effects are onerous. Many meth users have become estranged from their children and spouses, have lost their jobs, have lost their homes and were sleeping in parks or cars, have lost their driver’s licenses, and were in pretty bad physical shape. The drugs had literally altered the physical make-up of their brains. They were in a constant state of depression. The most important thing in their lives – more important even than their children – was the drug. The focus of their days was “how do I score more drugs.”
Methamphetamine, in particular, causes physical changes in the user. There can be severe weight loss, loss of hair, and loss of teeth. Drugs such as heroin, meth, and cocaine actually change the chemistry of the brain. When first using the drug, the user experiences a great high. But when that passes the user is in a constant state of depression or near depression. The user may never experience that initial euphoria ever again, but he or she constantly chases that high and physically craves the drug just to feel “normal”.
Once addicted – and addiction happens rapidly – the vast majority are unable to pull themselves out without some help. Some never do, even with help.
What can you do about it? Plenty. The first thing is stay away from drugs. Talk to your teenagers and make sure they understand the dangers of drug use. Be vigilant for the signs that your kids might be experimenting with drugs – for example, sudden change in behavior, boredom and listlessness, or high energy and then crashing. If you, yourself, have recently drugs, get help. Don’t delay. Yolo County has an out-patient treatment program run by Communicare, and some medical plans – like Kaiser-Permanente – have out-patient treatment programs. There are also residential programs in Yolo County such as Walter’s House and Cache Creek Lodge. At a minimum, go on the Internet and find the location and time of a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting. There are plenty of these NA meetings in Yolo County. Go to the meeting. It may be the most important meeting you ever attended.