"The War On Drugs Cannot Be Won": Drug Expert Makes A Case For Legalization

No, it can't. A "drugfree world," which the United Nations describes as a realistic goal, is no more attainable than an "alcoholfree world"--and no one has talked about that with a straight face since the repeal of Prohibition in the United States in 1933. Yet futile rhetoric about winning a "war on drugs" persists, despite mountains of evidence documenting its moral and ideological bankruptcy. When the U.N. General Assembly Special Session on drugs convened in 1998, it committed to "eliminating or significantly reducing the illicit cultivation of the coca bush, the cannabis plant and the opium poppy by the year 2008" and to "achieving significant and measurable results in the field of demand reduction." But today, global production and consumption of those drugs are roughly the same as they were a decade ago; meanwhile, many producers have become more efficient, and cocaine and heroin have become purer and cheaper.

It's always dangerous when rhetoric drives policy--and especially so when "war on drugs" rhetoric leads the public to accept collateral casualties that would never be permissible in civilian law enforcement, much less public health.

Read more here.

Comments

[wayoutleft]

08:46 PM on 08/22/2007

respectfully, you are all missing the point. the point of the drug war is not drugs. it is war. america craves war- everything is a war or a war on something. america always has enemies and war because americans create enemies and demand war. drugs are just the easiest enemy, and america prefers small weak enemies like a few people who take drugs. then they inflate a small group or nation into a giant menace to civilization. this lets them push people around, take their possessions and kill them.
so the object of the drug war is to find weak isolated subcultures, take their stuff and kill them. america is constantly on the prowl for these opportunities. drugs have nothing to do with it.

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

04:24 PM on 08/22/2007

By the way the Bible also says a rich man can hardly go to heaven. How's that working out for America?

[Aaronautical]

05:55 PM on 08/22/2007

Most Americans are not going to heaven. They don't get to decide even if they wanted to. I'm not going to heaven and I'm not rich either. I'm planning on staying here, that's why I wish you potheads would quiet down. You're smoking up the place and ruining my scenery. I never met a pothead that wasn't a knucklehead as well. Oh, and folks at FoxNews are a bunch of meatheads.

[Katboy]

06:05 AM on 08/31/2007

You never 'met a pothead who wasn't a knucklehead as well'?

That says a hell of a lot more about you.

Maybe intelligent people (weed smokers or not) find you utterly tiresome and avoid you at all costs.

Going on probability, it's a much more likely option...

[Aaronautical]

02:41 PM on 08/22/2007

I'm going to stay politically neutral on this one. Not interested in regulating it or not. Just wanted to chime in that there is a moral dimension to consider, even if you don't believe it. It is still relevant. It is from the Bible book of 2 Corinthians: "cleanse yourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit". If smoking cigarettes is unhealthy, then so is smoking marijuana. And most of you don't have cancer or AIDS, so that is an invalid response. Pot-smokers are lazy gluttons, disorganized, and have a low tolerance for discomfort. Never met a happy one that didn't require some pot to be joyful. Can't be a coincidence. Seems like an attitude handicap at the very least. If pot ever does get legalized, then pot-smokers should probably be second-class citizens. Let them pay for their own health care. And let employers discriminate against them. No one has any God-given right to smoke. Donkey crap is natural. You wanna smoke that too? The government paranoia is so thick here it burns your eyes.

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

04:22 PM on 08/22/2007

Pot smokers I have known include Businessmen, College Professors, Elected Officials, Productive citizens of every stripe. Your stereotyping is simply wrong.

And even heavy pot smokers expose themselves to only a tiny fraction of the toxins that cigarette smokers do. Which is why the government's own studies show no health related correlations with pot smoking.

This the best you can do prohibitionists? I mean I know you are weak but honestly I would expect better even from Fox News. Dimwitted stereotyping straight from the 60's and name calling. Surely you can do better than that.

[Aaronautical]

05:51 PM on 08/22/2007

"Businessmen, College Professors, Elected Officials" ? - no wonder we're all in a hell hole. These are supposed to be the best of the best and they're stoned. These are some of those most amoral members of society and they're numb to the plight of their fellow citizens. Or to the rest of the world for that matter.

Pot is bad. Cigarettes probably worse. You'll get no argument here. I say ban those too if you're going to ban pot.

I'm not a prohibitionist. You guys can smoke all the pot you like. As long as we can confine you guys to the desert or some sort of concentration camp. Or maybe to trailer parks. Preferably in tornado alley. Perhaps Dorothy can sing to you:

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Bluebirds fly. Birds fly Over The Rainbow. Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why cant I? "

[Katboy]

06:09 AM on 08/31/2007

"The government paranoia is so thick here it burns your eyes."

Nope, that's the smell of burning horse shit wafting from your mouth.

[castlerider]

02:10 PM on 08/22/2007

Wow. This is a LOT OF COMMENTS here, people.

99.8% all FOR drug legalization!!

Maybe we should all secede; Start our own state. Hell, maybe our own country. Have conventions and see who's got the best homegrown...

[naturegirl]

01:21 PM on 08/22/2007

Right on, stop the planet. Everything the "war" mongers focus on is punitive and reactionary. There's no interest in treating the root causes of addictive behavior that lead to drug problems of all kinds. Slapping people in jail is not a solution.

Let's be real; drugs will always be around. The U.S. pushes "legal", harmful prescription drugs every day. At an earlier time, we allowed alcohol and cigarette advertising. We need to stop sending out mixed messages, and stop lying to consumers about what's good and what's bad.

[Defyant]

12:02 PM on 08/22/2007

Power and control. Too many people want the power to control everyone else.

[True]

05:26 PM on 08/21/2007

Why "The War On Drugs?" Follow the money.
1.
Current enforcement practices are the typical pentagonesque strategy of "drain the general public's wallets like a vampire and tell them it's good for them."
2.
Drug offenders are slave labor for various industries when they're in prison.
3.
The textile, petroleum, and pharmaceutical industries, to name a few, are very much threatened by a sane drug policy.

I could go on and on for about 30 years but you get the idea.

[Misanthrope2]

09:59 AM on 08/21/2007

Recreational drug use is a lifestyle issue for the Republicans. Like abortion, religion, guns and Hillary, the drug issue is used as a wedge to separate "them" from "us."

Republican brains, specially trolls, are wired wrong. Whenever they can attack a liberal or spout off on a wedge issue, their brain gives them a little jolt of dopamine. It excites them. Say something bad about Hillary, they get a little jolt. Insult a liberal, get a little jolt.

The only solution to the bad wiring is death or lobotomy.

[JoeLosFeliz]

09:28 AM on 08/21/2007

I find the fact that so many people in this country are in prison on non-violent drug charges completely insane. So much good could be done with the money we spend on this - not to mention all of the lives that wouldn't be ruined if we used this money in a different way.

[SandyG]

09:02 AM on 08/21/2007

'Can't win the War On Drugs?? Nonsense, we've only been fighting the WOD, at least since 1972, when Tricky Dick Nixon invented the DEA, spending Billions every year on it. and We've been winning it every single day, just like we're winning the War On Terrorism today. All we gotta do is continue to Stay The Course, keep Our Boys out of Harm's Way, and continue Throwing Money at it, and we're home free!
Maybe we can appoint General Patraeus to lead the WOD, and await his pre-ordained pronouncements about how well it's going, so we can appoint another Czar to go do something else important.

[PeteBogs]

08:37 AM on 08/21/2007

watch the movie "Traffic" for many compelling reasons why drug law don't (and never will) work...

[squareyellowpaper]

07:33 AM on 08/21/2007

This would really piss off the street pushers!

And the smugglers!

And Columbia!

[squareyellowpaper]

07:23 AM on 08/21/2007

The number of actual Americans using drugs is overwhelming.

The American economy could use the boost.

Legalize!

Just like liquor: you have a choice.

[JohnPfeffer]

07:22 AM on 08/21/2007

We people who smoke or have smoked marijuana/hash (which is the same drug) do not care what narcs/politicians think. If they want to waste taxpayers' money (your money) and try to outspend us, then have at it. It is our bodies and we will do with it what we want.
Viva the 60s and the drug revolution.

[Trilby]

06:37 AM on 08/21/2007

If you can grow it and use it, without any processing besides drying and breaking it up, it's a PLANT and should be 100% legal.

[squareyellowpaper]

07:29 AM on 08/21/2007

I love plants. I grow bamboo and herbs. I would love to have the opportunity to cultivate cannibus.

Just think. If people were allowed to grow it, the benefits of the plant adding oxygen to the atmosphere would be most beneficial!

Besides, it could be something to give to family and friends at Christmas, Birthdays, and housewarmings. Imagine the wonderful hybrids that would be available!

Police could use drug enforcement money to catch real criminals, like those in the White House.