Why we need to rethink our drug policy

This story from MSNBC, about a lady who had lived on the lam for 32 years (you read that right) after escaping from prison.

(Susan) LeFevre, who was just 19 when arrested on a heroin charge, said she never expected to get 10 years in prison when she agreed to plead guilty in 1974. She climbed a prison fence in 1976, helped by her grandfather.

"I felt like I wanted to vindicate myself," LeFevre said of the escape. "I wasn't involved in drug trafficking at all. I was a recreational user."

Never mind the concept of a "recreational" heroin user (I'm of the opinion that recreational and heroin are a contradiction), 10 years for possession?!? Only in America (and other third world-minded nations) could being an addict--which is a disease, I might remind you--be considered a crime.

Cripes.

And good for the judge for recognizing that 32 years of looking over her shoulder is punishment enough. I'm of the opinion that any judge who wants to sentence someone to prison should be forced to spend a week or two incarcerated themselves to see what it's like.

Open letter to Barack Obama: will you appoint an addiction specialist as our next drug czar, please? We've had enough meathead generals in that post.