2016 ND Governor's race: on Drugs

Doug Burgum: Opioid epidemic threatens our way of life

Burgum: Drug abuse is skyrocketing in North Dakota. It's an epidemic that is hurting North Dakota families, employers, and taxpayers and threatening our way of life. It's past time our attorney general begins making these issues a top priority, and as governor I look forward to working with him to address this important statewide crisis. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Working together across the state, we need to invest more time, energy, and resources in prevention, and we need to treat addiction like the chronic disease that it is. As Governor, I'll work with communities, employers, and health care providers to restrict the supply of drugs like meth, fentanyl, and heroin, fight the federal reimbursement incentives that are fueling the exponential rise in the abuse of highly addictive prescription drugs, reform our corrections system, and get people the help they need.

Marvin Nelson: Invest in drug treatment, mental health, and drug courts

Nelson: Need to have treatment available and not just in a few population centers. We need to give assurance to health providers that if they invest in treatment, we aren't going to just change our minds tomorrow. We need to look at things like tele counseling, and using our critical access hospitals to deliver necessary care. Evaluation of people at all levels of the penal system for addiction by the state. Currently, mental health services are required by local jurisdictions, but they don't do it. The state needs to provide those services. We are in a horrible legal liability situation, just waiting for the lawsuits. Need to have things like drug courts dealing with first time offenders instead of requiring multiple convictions before being eligible for drug court. We can't afford to wait until people are sent to the state penitentiary to evaluate and deal with their addictions.

Wayne Stenehjem: Warn of dangers of new opioid drugs; but help addicts too

Stenehjem: Addressing this crisis is a key priority for me. Addressing the acute shortage of licensed treatment professionals for substance abuse and mental illness is the core of the plan. A state-wide public awareness campaign is also part of my plan. We need to put a face on the heroin and opioid epidemic. Both school-age children and adults should be warned of the dangers of new powerful drugs invading North Dakota. These drugs are killing people and we must be communicating the hazards. The funding for this program will come from prison reform. We need to reduce corrections spending and reinvest the savings into strategies that reduce recidivism and increase public safety. We still need to lock up the bad guys but we can do a better job helping good people that suffer from addiction problems and mental health issues.

Rick Becker: Supports medical marijuana and legalized pot

Stenehjem said he's spoken to attorney generals in other states where marijuana has been legalized and didn't see any positives, vowing to vote against it. "North Dakota will not be healthier or safer," Stenehjem said.

Wayne Stenehjem: Marijuana has no positives

Stenehjem said he's spoken to attorney generals in other states where marijuana has been legalized and didn't see any positives, vowing to vote against it. "North Dakota will not be healthier or safer," Stenehjem said.

Wayne Stenehjem: Make drug enforcement a priority

Since taking office Wayne has:
• Made drug enforcement a priority, proposing legislation to developing a drug enforcement initiative which coordinates law enforcement, health and human service agencies, and as well as addiction counseling, youth education, and stronger penalties for offenders.
• Worked to enact and enforce legislation to curb methamphetamine (meth) use and addiction in the state by restricting retail sales of certain products used to manufacture meth, to provide mandatory treatment for drug offenders, and increase criminal penalties for drug offenders.
• Established a sobriety pilot program to keep repeat drunk drivers from drinking and driving. Under the 24/7 Sobriety pilot program, repeat DUI offenders in the program area are ordered to complete breath alcohol testing twice a day as a condition of bond.
• Established, in 2010, the RX TAKE BACK Program, to provide a safe and secure way for residents to dispose of unwanted medications at no cost.