"I believe that the Christian nations as a whole have never grasped the Holocaust…. And even though the years are going by, everyone carries around, with a feeling of annoyance and sometimes irritation, his small part in the guilt for the most extraordinary slaughter in history - because it was pointless, because it was not the inherent evil of the Jews that it revealed, but rather of what contemporary, civilized, cultured individuals - we ourselves - are capable…. So what is happening now? The opportunity has come along to transform the image of the Jew as martyr into the Jew as executioner."--Francoise Giroud, Le Monde, Paris, as reprinted in English in Ha'aretz, Jerusalem, June 22, 2002

WELCOME
Arnold S. Trebach

When I set this site up several years ago, my main interest was the development of better drug policies. That is now only one of my main interests.

Since 9/11, however, I have felt compelled to deal with terrorism, the Middle East, and the fate of Israel and my brother and sister Jews of the United States and the world. Again, as it has been for eons, Jews and Jewish institutions are under attack, or the threat of attack, almost everywhere. I might well have accompanied the epigram above dealing with addicts with another that could have said, "Jews are the enduring scapegoats of history." The events of the past few years have brought that ugly truth home to me once again. At the same time, it is encouraging to see the strong support for Israel and for the rights of Jews at all levels of the American nation, including among the highest ranks of the government. Accordingly, I will deal with all of these issues in addition to drug policy.

Indeed, This site will deal with any subject that catches my fancy and which I think might interest some of the visitors to the site. I may well, for example, display the oldest known photo in my family, that of my Uncle Aaron, for whom I am named. We have the same first Hebrew name, as is the ancient custom, and in this fashion I am keeping him alive. Aaron Trebitsch is standing outside his jail in, I believe, White Russia, in about 1904. He is in chains, and seems not to give a damn, like the good revolutionary that he was. I love that spirit and will tell his story, which has nothing to do with drug policy but a lot to do with who I am and how I look at the world.

As I have indicated, a great deal of the material on this site will continue to deal with drug policy and treatment. Here also I have my heroes, but I knew most of them in the flesh, even though too many have gone on to their heavenly rewards, like Aaron. One was Bing Spear, who was the Chief Inspector of the Drugs Branch in the UK Home Office, and thus a senior government official. Yet, he was a friend of many heroin addicts. The other was Terry Tanner a Catholic priest who ran a hostel or set of apartments in London, for addicts, many of whom were using vast quantities of prescribed powerful drugs. Both saw addicts -- even dirty, smelly stone junkies -- as potentially decent human beings and so treated them. (For more about Bing and Terry look in other parts of this site, starting with my essay "Reflections on Giving Birth and All That.").

It follows that a major theme in my current work and in this site will be advocacy of more humane methods to deal with addicts of all kinds, but especially those dependent on illegal drugs, whether or not they continue to actually use and abuse them. Under any system of drug control, including full legalization, the image and status of addicts will always require close and compassionate attention. The idea of paying great attention to the health, legal rights and welfare of using addicts is not at the center of current drug policy reform efforts.

However, I plan on continuing to advocate positions that push the envelope of drug policy in this country and much of the world. I have enjoyed being in that type of advanced, and exposed, position for all of my professional life, involving a whole series of issues, not only dealing with drugs. In the eighth decade of my life on this small planet I do not intend to change my stripes now. I am a recidivist, and happily so. I can look back on the times when I was in the process of starting The Drug Policy Foundation during the mid-80s. My basic position then on the mission of the foundation was that I wanted to make opposition to the drug war decent and respectable. That goal was achieved some years ago. For proof, look at the Shadow Conventions presented along with the Democratic and Republican Conventions. I have not been part of the Shadow Conventions although I applaud them. They are consistent with long-established goals of mine. Now however I am moving beyond those admirable positions into the front lines once again.

My colleagues and I are planning some future projects, related to the web site, that include a new series of awards for those who have made outstanding contributions to the health, welfare, dignity, and legal rights of addicts and their families and loved ones, anywhere in the world. Other projects of significance will be developed in the days ahead.

A second major theme of the institute and this web site will be support of full legalization of drugs along the alcohol model and thus opposition to the prohibition laws and the war on drugs, which is really a war on human beings. Many people, including close friends and good colleagues, are upset with me because I take this stand, which I will discuss and debate at length on this site, now and over the years. Please understand that I am opposed to the use of drugs but know that the use of the criminal law to stop their use is a snare and a destructive delusion. We gain nothing by continuing drug prohibition and the war on drugs, except misery.

The site will also deal with many other issues that deal with drug policy and treatment. To gain access to those diverse sections of the site, simply click on the appropriate name in the table of contents.

I would love to hear from you and to receive your comments. However, I know you will understand that I cannot respond to all messages personally. My plans are to have only a few staff members. Thus, you will have to expect general answers to most E-mails. I will do my best to respond to some urgent requests for information individually. In any event, please do send me your criticisms and suggestions for improvement, whether of this site or of drug policy in the country and in the world at large. A particular interest is information on the best resources that you addicts have found to improve your lives, whether in the form of treatment, religious counseling, legal representation, or anything else.  Please send in detailed information on where you or your families have encountered such positive experiences in whatever form.  Be as precise as you can without revealing confidences that might harm those who have helped you. Eventually this information will be put together in a related online site available for junkies of all persuasions, from the lowest to the highest status. We must think of all of us as members of one extended human family, which of course we are.

My cordial best wishes.

Arnold.