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Thursday, February 23, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Senate may toughen anti-drug laws
Kansan staff writer
by John P. Milburn
TOPEKA — A bill that would give law enforcement officials a better chance to stop the influx of drugs into Kansas received strong support yesterday at a Senate advisory committee hearing.
The new statute would make illegal the use of communication facilities for the sale or purchase
Communication facilities include telephones, radios, computers and computer networks.
The bill was patterned after a federal statute regarding drug sales and would allow the state to prosecute out-of-state deniers, said Kyle Smith, a law firm that assigned to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
"The bill is targeted at all organized drug
marketing activities. It will break down the
integration of the leaders."
He said Kansas would be able to reach out-of-state suppliers and extradite them to Kansas for prosecution. Now, if a dealer in Kansas is arrested, the supplier can get another dealer and continue the investigation.
Violation of the prosecution statute would be a class D lienary, where each of two to 10 years would have been paid up to a $8,000 bill.
The bill was one of four requested by a task force
established by Attorney General Bob Stephan in 1986. In prepared testimony, Stephan said the bills attempted to curb the drug and alcohol problem in Kansas.
"The abuse of drugs, especially among our young people, has long passed the point in which words alone can help." Stephan said. "We need to have an impact on this ever-increasing problem."
Senate bills 154 and 233 would affect cases involving defendants with a chemical addiction. Bill 154 was requested by the task force and would defer sentencing pending an evaluation of the
If needed, treatment would take place by order of the judge at the beginning of the sentence.
Bill 233 would require a chemical evaluation of all defendants charged with felonies. The examination and any necessary treatment would be a condition of release before trial.
In either case, treatment would take place in a state or public institution.
"Until the abuse problem is treated, restitution or punishment is not effective," said Jim Flory, a psychiatrist.
fory said that in his experience, nearly 70 percent of felons had some type of choking problem. Probably up to 30 percent
He said the statutes would cost the state less than leaving the defendants' abuse problems untreated and imprisoning the defendants for subsequent crimes.
required some form of inpatient care.
"A proper evaluation and assessment is very important for people with alcohol and drug abuse problems," said Larry Hinton, administrator for the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Servi-
State hospitals now have space for persons ordered into treatment by the court, Hinton said. Waiting lists at those units could grow with the passage of the statutes.
Gene Johnson, legislative liaison for the Kansas Community Alcohol Safety Action Project Coordinators Association, said other public and private facilities existed in the area to treat those persons. The cost for treatment at the Oasawatomic State Hospital is $4,300, he said. The state charges the defendant for the treatment.
Wording of the bills should specify who will pay for future treatments. Johnson said.
Two other bills would stiffen the penalties for providing alcohol to minors and for possession of
Flory said that the law prohibiting drinking by those younger than 21 must be taken seriously.
Senate considers bill to let stores sell beer on Sundays
grocery store and take it home for his on personal enjoyment?"
- Continued from p. 1
Whitaker said that bordering states had some form of law that allowed the sale of beer on Sundays. He asked the committee to allow pubs to sell beer for purchase of purchasing beer in grocery and convenience stores seven days a week.
Comparing statistics on consumption of beer in 1987 in Kansas and Oklahoma. Whitaker pointed out that Kansasans drank 1.5 more gallons per year than Oklahoma allows grocery and convenience stores to sell beer on Sundays.
"By comparison, you realize that whether or not the product is for sale on Sunday has no relationship to the product that is consumed." Whitaker said.
The Rev. Richard Taylor, representing Kansans for Life at Its Best, strongly opposed the bill. Taylor said that he was not sure about it on Sundays, but the problems surrounding alcohol.
the product is the problem. Sunday beer sales is a drug issue," Taylor said. "Under Kansas law, alcohol is a controlled substance, but is exempt from control under that statute. A step in the right direction would be no carry-out beer on Saturday in addition to Sunday."
Taylor said people who were disressed because they could not buy alcohol on Sunday should seek medical help.
Liberalization of alcohol laws results in greater use of alcohol, he said.
"Many merchants in other states sell more carry-out beer on Sunday than on any of the other six days," Taylor said.
He said that Sunday sales would make it more convenient for more people to buy more beer.
The committee will consider the Senate bill and testimony before deciding on any action.
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You may have wondered about the wrecked car in front of Stauffer-Flint (Journalism School) this car was totalled in an alcohol-related crash. Due to alcohol use, the driver lost control and ran the car alongside a guardrail before crashing into a pole. The driver and passenger were under age 30. Neither one was wearing a seatbelt; the driver was thrown against the steering wheel and windshield. Both people were treated for injuries.
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SOME SOBERING FACTS ABOUT DRINKING AND DRIVING
FACT: Your chances of being involved in an accident are 7 times greater if you have had a few drinks.
**FACT:** About 65% of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime. One person is killed in these accidents every 20 minutes
FACT: Although teenagers comprise only 8% of the licensed driver population, they account for 15% of all drunk driver collisions and up to 42% of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.
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