NEW ORLEANS -- "I made more money selling drugs, and using then I would have made on the job," said Ben Smith.
Smith knows first hand how drugs led him down the wrong path. He was convicted of his crimes and served 13 years at Angola prison.
"There were six of us, The First 72+ was founded by formerly incarcerated people," he said.
After he got out of prison and back on his feet, he wanted to help others like him. That's why he now helps run the non-profit to help those getting out of prison find a place to live and work.
On Monday, President Donald Trump floated a proposal for drug traffickers to get harsher punishment.
"If we don't get tough on the drug dealers we're wasting our time... and that toughness includes the death penalty," President Donald Trump said.
Locally, Attorney General Jeff Landry says he's willing to consider the idea.
"I think the President's remarks are spot on in that, we have to have a debate," Landry said.
St. Bernard Sheriff Jimmy Pohlman whose son died of an overdose also believes in a tougher stance.
"I don't find it very difficult to swallow, these drug cartels, these high-level dealers they're killing people every single day," Pohlman said.
"It's cruel unusual punishment all the way," Smith argued.
Smith also blames lawmakers for passing legislation that favored drug makers.
"Those pharmaceutical people are drug dealers and Congress and the Senate are promoters of it," he said.
He wants more resources devoted to treatment.
"Most people sell drugs because they can't get employment or a lot of people are into the drug trade to support their habits."
For now, the death penalty for drug dealers is just a proposal but Smith wants to know where the line will stop for justice in the future.
"If we're going to execute our drug dealers we might as well execute the people with the Ponzi scheme," Smith said.