Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma Oklahoma state flag

Past DPFOK Meetings Reviewed

Dr. Gary Borrell, medical director of the Oklahoma Center for Alcohol and Related Studies, Discusses How Criminalization of Heroin Changed U.S. FULL STORY HERE.
DPFOK Discusses Decriminalization, Imprisonment, Rehab and Politics.
Tom Stephenson, lawyer and former Oklahoma state legislator was the guest speaker for the Sept. 2000 meeting.
Hear Stephenson's talk here in REAL AUDIO.
"There is proof that the Mexican military, our allies, are the biggest traffickers of marijuana in Mexico, not the Indians, not the guerrillas--the Mexican Federal Military. They have the land holdings that they grow miles of marijuana. But yet the aid is being funneled into a counter insurgency campaign, allegedly to fight the war on drugs." (from Shawn Garner)
On Aug. 16th, 2000 human rights activist Shawn Garner met with DPFOK to discuss the relationship between sister city projects and the War on Drugs while focusing on Tulsa's Chinese connection. Exploitation of third world people by the Drug War was also explored. Garner's research connects many of the missing links behind the complex web of Drug War Politics. You can hear now Garner's 45 minute presentation via REAL AUDIO here.

  "Ours is a culture that doesn't believe in death"

Coming with a long list of highly impressive credentials, DPFOK was greatly honored at its March 14th, 2001 meeting to have as guest speaker Dr. Gordon Deckert, who serves as chairman for the Oklahoma Public Health Policies Committee. He told of the state of Oklahoma's health going from above the national average during the 80s to below the average since the 90s. To put the deterioration in greater perspective, if Oklahoma's aged adjusted death rate matched the nation's as a whole, there would be 3,500 fewer Oklahomans dying a year, or the equivalent to two Murrah bombings going off a month. Where is the indignation, the memorial, he asks? Deckert also revealed that Oklahoma is the only state where women smoke more than men with more lung cancer resulting. Deckert blamed Oklahoma's health problems primarily on nicotine addiction, inadequate preventive health care and low income. He also cited attitude saying, "Ours is a culture that doesn't believe in death. I can do whatever you want, then somebody better pay for me to get well by the miracle of medical technology, no matter what it costs." Also stated Oklahoma spends only 40% per capita to what the U.S. spends on preventive health care while the U.S. ranks last in the industrialized world. To learn more from Dr. Deckert on health in Oklahoma click here and listen in REAL AUDIO. (15 min)

On Mental Illness and Addictive Disorders from the Consumer’s Standpoint
Kay Rote Speaks at May DPFOK Meeting. Details Here.

State Rep. Kirby Speaks on Corrections Reform

by Alvena Bieri and Nelda Sander
State Representative Ron Kirby of Comanche County, chair of the Corrections Committee in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, is working for major reform of the Oklahoma prison system. He spoke in Stillwater at the March meeting of the Drug Policy Forum and called the Oklahoma Corrections System "a monstrosity." He includes many county jails in his criticism, pointing out as just one example the overcrowded, dirty jail at Lawton. He also says that phone companies providing service for inmates' calls to their families are profiteering by tremendously overcharging, and that should be stopped.

Kirby's main goal in the legislature is to end mandatory sentencing, to treat each case individually and with common sense. It is true, he admits, that some first-time offenders should be put away for a long time. It depends on the crime. And it is true, in his words, that "the vast majority" of people in Oklahoma prisons are there because of "drug related crimes." It is also true that they're going to prison for 5 or 10 years for possession of small amounts of marijuana. This should save the state the expense of confining the individuals to say nothing of saving space for those who really need to be locked up."

Many of us may not realize that a drug conviction brands one for life. Being labeled "a convicted felon" bars a person from getting a job. Without an income of any kind, it is hard to live a productive life. The implications was that drug prohibition worsens addiction problems and worsens the problems of the use and misuse of some drugs.

How has such a system come about and what can we do about it? Kirby thinks a misplaced and twisted emphasis on "law and order" is to blame. No politician running for office wants to appear even a little bit "soft on crime". Rehabilitation for those with real problems is the answer, Kirby believes. When people get help, the recidivism rate drops as much as 12%. Kirby holds out real hope for major reform and says the best action Oklahomans can take is to reform and educate the people we elect and send to the state capital. He emphasizes that prison reform is not a partisan issue, having little to do with division between Democrats and Republicans. He ended his presentation by giving the audience the number of the legislature which is 1-800-522-8502.

February DPFOK Meeting Finds Half of Women in Prison Over Drugs

by Alvena Bieri
Oklahoma has double the national rate of imprisoning women. Of the 23,000 prisoners in this state right now, 2200 are women. Susan F. Sharp, who teaches sociology at the University of Oklahoma, presented these facts at the February 2003 meeting of the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma. She had wide experience as a drug counselor, has written many scholarly articles in her field, and was editor of the book, "The Incarcerated Woman." The theme of her speech was that incarcerated women and their children are suffering because of an extremely punitive prison system. Prof. Sharp said the effect of imprisonment on women drug offenders is to "demonize" and stigmatize them in the public mind. According to her studies and observation, many women who go to prison for drug offenses, and that is half the total of female prisoners in Oklahoma. She said that the pattern of first use of drugs usually comes from male partners' influence. She has found that when they are arrested, women often do not have good legal counsel or a chance to plea bargain. Then once in prison, they find that the rehabilitation programs are usually designed for men. Since typical women prisoners have few vocational skills and have probably not even graduated from high school, we might think they would be eager of job training. However, many are not. Sharp blames their overall lack of self-esteem for the very small success rate of both vocational training and "therapeutic community" courses. This last type of program is similar to a 12 step program. She suggest that raising self-esteem might be a better first step toward self-sufficiency.

THERE IS A SUCCESSFUL ALTERNATIVE A New York program was presented as a successful alternative to punishment. There, when a woman is released from prison, she joins several other women in a sort of "halfway house" apartment and has appropriate job training and counseling for a year. Then she is helped in finding a job. A case worker follows each woman for another year. The treatment of Oklahoma women in prison has far-reaching and serious consequences. Their children suffer as well. Inmates are not allowed to make phone calls when they are first confined. A woman's minor children often end up living with grandparents, frequently the mother's family. The Department of Corrections usually does not even know where they are. In Oklahoma 25 or 30 babies each year are born in prison. Sharp described truly pitiful cases where the young mother was shackled to her bed during the birth of her baby. If no family member comes t claim the infant, it ends up in the custody of the Department of Human Services. Is major prison reform needed in Oklahoma? Sharp says it is, pointing out that drugs are widely available inside prisons. She also said that Oklahoma's private prisons are creating problems since they often send inmates out of the state. Of those 23,000 prisoners, 6,000 are in private prisons.

January DPFOK Meeting Views Film "Grass"

Legal prohibition of marijuana creates more problems than it solves. This is the message of the documentary film, "Grass," narrated by Woody Harrelson and viewed at the January meeting of the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma. A kaleidoscope of old movies, newsreels from the past, statements of American presidents about drugs, and much more round out the message. Full story here, includes a sharply contrasting look at how the Stillwater News Press edited 90% of the story as submitted by DPFOK.

Former Judge Speaks on the Failed Drug War

"If the OSU fraternities and sororities were raided, a special legislative session would be called and all drug laws rescinded. Leading citizens would not permit the ruination of their children's lives with a drug felony record." That was just one of the interesting comments Stillwater area attorney Bob Ward made as guest speaker for the November 2002 meeting of the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma. View the story here.