Here is an article from the Washington Post in reference to Marylands Governor wanting to make changes that might be of interest to you all. If you agree with him and want to show support for this change, you can contact his office from the following web site:

http://www.gov.state.md.us/

Maryland Governor Proposes Treatment Program for Drug Offenders
2/4/2004

Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is urging the state General Assembly to pass a bill that would allow nonviolent drug offenders to receive treatment instead of prison time, the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54764-2004Jan27.html) reported Jan. 28.

Ehrlich said the state should work on changing the way the justice system addresses addiction. The diversion bill would create guidelines for prosecutors to determine if drug offenders or inmates seeking parole would be better off in treatment.

"Twenty-five years ago, this would be a lot more difficult to do," Ehrlich said. "But attitudes about the war on drugs are changing."

The measure is gaining bipartisan support in the General Assembly.

"What I am seeing is failure in what we are doing now. It is like throwing good money after bad because we are not getting good results," said state Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-Harford). "If you are going to throw money at something to fix it, throw money at something that works. They have a much better success rate with treatment then they do with keeping people in jail."

Some lawmakers raised concerns that the diversion program could undercut the nation's drug laws.

"My constituents want law and order," said Sen. Richard F. Colburn (R-Dorchester).