Drug Dealers vs Drug Addicts

See the article below from the Independent Mail. It seems that the District Attorney has the right idea here and at Narconon we are anxiously awaiting the outcome of finding treatment for offenders who are addicts. According to the article:

“TOCCOA, Ga. — Brian Rickman, district attorney for the Georgia Mountain Judicial Circuit, draws a clear line between drug addicts and drug dealers.
“We believe there is a fundamental difference in the addict and the dealer,” he explained. “The addict, while they have to be responsible for their actions, can be helped with treatment. The dealer is making money off the misery of someone else.”
With that distinction, Rickman and his staff at the Mountain Judicial Circuit DA’s office are taking a new and creative approach to handling drug crimes.
The DA’s office has recently begun partnering with the Stephens County Anti-drug Coalition to match drug addicts who have been arrested for drug possession with qualified treatment programs. Part of the condition of that person’s bond is successfully completing the treatment program, Rickman said.
“Our philosophy is that with non-violent addicts, we want to find creative ways to use treatment rather than have them sit in the county jail. On the flip side, by freeing up resources that we would use on those cases, our time can be spent on taking it to the dealers,” he said.”
Good idea Toccoa! Any addict at least deserves one chance at treatment – whether they have abused heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or prescription medication – Thanks for giving them a chance.