Drug Reform
Target Crime, Not Liberty
America’s drug policy has expanded government power, strengthened criminal organizations, filled prisons, and failed to stop addiction.
For decades, Washington has treated drug use primarily as a criminal issue rather than a complex problem involving health, personal choice, and illegal trafficking. The result has been a system that punishes individuals, empowers cartels, and diverts resources away from real public safety priorities.
Idaho families deserve safer communities, honest policy, and a system that focuses on what actually works.
I support a more constitutional, effective approach that targets violent crime and trafficking while respecting individual rights.
What Is Driving the Problem?
Criminalization of Nonviolent Behavior
Federal drug policy has often treated possession and personal use as criminal matters, leading to incarceration and long-term consequences that do not address underlying issues.
Empowerment of Cartels and Illegal Markets
Prohibition-driven policy creates black markets controlled by criminal organizations. These groups profit from instability, violence, and lack of regulation.
Expansion of Federal Enforcement Power
Drug enforcement has been used to justify broader surveillance, asset forfeiture, and policing powers that raise serious constitutional concerns.
Failure to Address Addiction Effectively
Punitive approaches alone do not solve addiction. Without addressing underlying causes, the cycle continues.
Why It Matters to Idaho
Idaho communities want safety, accountability, and solutions that actually work.
When policy focuses on the wrong targets, law enforcement resources are stretched thin, families are disrupted, and communities see little improvement. At the same time, addiction and illegal trafficking continue.
This is not just a policy failure. It is a public safety and constitutional issue.
My Approach
Drug policy should be grounded in public safety, constitutional limits, and reality—not ideology or inertia.
We should focus enforcement on:
- Violent crime
- Trafficking networks
- Cartel activity
At the same time, we must recognize the difference between criminal enterprise and individual behavior.
The goal should be safer communities, not a larger system of control.
Policy Priorities
Focus Enforcement on Trafficking and Violent Crime
Law enforcement resources should prioritize those who profit from and drive criminal networks—not individuals struggling with use or possession.
Protect Constitutional Rights
I oppose the expansion of federal powers that bypass due process, including abuses of civil asset forfeiture and warrantless surveillance tied to drug enforcement.
Support State-Level Flexibility
States should be able to determine their own policies within constitutional limits. One-size-fits-all federal policy has proven ineffective.
Address Addiction as a Health Issue
Addiction should be approached with solutions that actually reduce harm and improve outcomes, rather than policies that perpetuate cycles of incarceration.
Reduce Federal Overreach
Drug policy should not be used as a justification for expanding the size and scope of federal law enforcement beyond constitutional limits.
Day One Priorities
In the Senate, I will support legislation and oversight to:
- Refocus federal enforcement efforts on trafficking organizations and violent crime
- Increase oversight and limits on civil asset forfeiture practices
- Challenge federal policies that expand surveillance or enforcement beyond constitutional authority
- Support state flexibility in addressing drug policy within constitutional bounds
- Evaluate federal programs for effectiveness and unintended consequences
Bottom Line
Our current approach has not delivered safer communities or better outcomes.
It has expanded government power, strengthened criminal networks, and failed the people it was supposed to help.
We need a drug policy that is honest about what works, focused on real threats, and consistent with the Constitution.
That is how we protect both liberty and public safety.