Bill Bradley on Drugs

More funds for drug treatment; tackle demand, not supply

Bradley wants to spend more money on drug treatment. He says that “the more effective way to deal with the drug problem is to tackle the demand side at hmoe rather than at the supply side,” according to a campaign spokesman. Bradley would give “limited assistance to the Colombia plan [which fight drug supply via the Colombian military], the spokesman said. ”The important thing for him is that the effort is not turned into a US war.“ Source: Boston Globe, p. A21 Mar 5, 2000

No mandatory sentencing for first-time drug offenders

The first thing I would do [to address unequal justice for young African-American males] is bring the difference between crack and cocaine much closer together. I would then try to take a look at mandatory first-time, nonviolent drug offenders and say, does mandatory sentencing make sense there? I don’t think it does. Source: Democrat Debate in Des Moines, Iowa Jan 17, 2000

Candidates’ long-past drug use shouldn’t matter

Q: How much of a factor do you believe the long-past drug use of any candidate should be? A: I think the public has a right to know from a crook, but not a sinner. In terms of a crook, the question [would be], “Did you break the law smoking marijuana?” You break the law. I admitted that I have smoked marijuana. And I don’t think that it’s an issue if it occurs 30 years ago. People have a deeper understanding of the human condition, of the nuances of life. I don’t think this is a determinative issue. Source: Town Hall Meeting, Nashua NH Dec 18, 1999

Candidate drug use matters; admits pot but no cocaine

Bradley said that illegal drug use by a presidential candidate mattered. “I do think that if someone violated the law, they should state whether they did or not,” said Bradley, who has used marijuana “but never cocaine.” Source: Boston Globe, p. A5 Sep 20, 1999

“Just Say No” is ignored by urban kids

[Urban kids] find their role models elsewhere [than government or schools]. The prevalence of crack & cocaine make a bad situation into a disaster. [Urban kids are] dodging the police selling cocaine vials on the street. They dream of becoming a drug kingpin, not a mayor or principal or minister. In such a world, calls to “just say no” to drugs or to study hard for 16 years so that you can get an $18,000-a-year job are heeded by only a few. The culture of crack undermines our most cherished virtues Source: Time Present, Time Past, p. 375 Jan 8, 1997

Voted against more funds for int’l narcotics control

Voted NO to provide an additional $53 million to international narcotics control programs. (HR 3540, 7/25/96) Source: Project Vote Smart -- Voting Record Jul 25, 1996

Voted NO on spending international development funds on drug control.

Vote to add an additional $53 million (raising the total to $213 million) to international narcotics control funding, and pay for it by taking $25 million from international operations funding and $28 million from development assistance. Bill HR 3540 ; vote number 1996-244 on Jul 25, 1996

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