Ron Paul Blasts Misguided 'War On Drugs' In Washington State Campaign Speech

By JONATHAN A. COOPER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul decried the "war on drugs" Thursday night, telling supporters in Washington state that people should be able to make their own decisions on such matters.

Voters in Washington are likely to decide this year whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana

"If we are allowed to deal with our eternity and all that we believe in spiritually, and if we're allowed to read any book that we want under freedom of speech, why is it we can't put into our body whatever we want?" Paul told more than 1,000 people at a rally in Vancouver, a suburb of Portland, Ore.

Paul did not mention his rivals for the Republican nomination but criticized President Barack Obama for killing American citizens with suspected terrorist ties and for expanding federal regulations.

The Texas congressman said he wasn't sure if he'd win the GOP nomination and tries not to predict the future but added that he's encouraged by the enthusiasm of his supporters.

"People who are strong believers in issues and ideas and principles, they do lead the way," he said.

Paul is the second Republican to hold a major public event in Washington. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum was in Olympia and Tacoma on Monday. Washington's caucuses are scheduled for March 3.

Some in the Vancouver audience came from neighboring Oregon, which has a primary set for May 15.

Paul was spending Thursday campaigning in Idaho and Washington and has rallies planned Friday in Richland and Spokane. He is expected to hit most of Washington's media markets before the state's nonbinding caucuses.

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Comments

[bd7769]

07:57 AM on 02/24/2012

Ron Paul's commitment in returning the power back people make him the only true progessive running for POTUS in 2012

[bd7769]

07:50 AM on 02/24/2012

I just hope we don't conduct the War on Terror with the same methods we have used in our War on Drugs. Oh wait we are.

[libertarain]

07:22 PM on 02/22/2012

Here's the deal, marijuana, as we all know has and will be present forever. That said we need to wisen up on how we handle the plant. Absolute legalization is too far away to concern ourselves with; we must however end the needless, wasteful, irrational, and above all unsuccessful "War on Drugs". The financial benefits are miraculous to consider. We spend money on enforcing the laws that politicans have put in place, the most notable instances are imprisonment for marijuana law breakers, seizure and destruction of crops, and policing and enforcment of laws. These unnecessary expenditures are then coupled with a equally great opportunity to actually generate revenue for our nation. We could take the money out of the hands of sometimes dangerous drug dealers, and put that money into the economic system. A general sales tax could be implemented for marijuana, as any other product and source of revenue in the United States is. Also, the ammount of jobs that would be created are exponential. We would be forcing the dangerous and criminal drug lords to find legitimate lines of work, and help legitmate law abiding citizens obtain work in a miraculous field. This is such a crime to punish marijuana users, and provide occupation for drug dealers. Americans, in their own time, are slowly gaining ground to irraticate the "War on Drugs". My only goal is that this rant will help to clear confusion and build support for a more logical method of controling the marijuana trade..

[RegisteredIndy]

08:43 AM on 02/20/2012

We spend millions on locating and burning marijuana plants which raises the street value and incentivizes new distributors to enter the market. At the same time, on a state by state basis we are lowering the punishments for marijuana.

This is the equivalent of setting a minimum wage for pot dealers at the expense of taxpayers. We are subsidizing Mexican cartel earnings.

[Joe Manning]

08:07 PM on 02/19/2012

One of about 20-30% political policies I agree with Dr. Ron Paul on. Though I think his personal views on women, abortion, creationism, and how we shouldn't have any civil rights acts or women's rights acts, just let free market clear it up (Which is actually anti-Constitutional, inalienable rights should be recognized). While he believes the Constiution protects freedom of use of drugs and freedom for gays to be married. People miss that he believes the STATES can-in many ways- legislate sexual, reproductive, and drug use behaviors. Am I misinformed? Because I swear I've seen him say this several times. I say this as a former big time RP supporter. But as a liberal, democratic, socialist-whatever..indepedent I guess. I believe that we actually get more freedom, via more choices, by having drugs legal and regulated, as well as universal health care, and free college education for those that qualify and want it. I mean, this shit is getting out of hand and the idea that a free market with a pseudo-gold standard (it''s not like we'd get even close to getting the gold standard within the first RP term anyway) would solve social problems like gay marriage, black and latin rights, illegal rights, the prison industrial complex (Which should NOT be a free market enterprise any more than health care! they have a bottom line, FOR PROFIT, you can't depend on that!),. has never been explained by any of his supporters beyond simple rhetoric

[RegisteredIndy]

08:29 AM on 02/20/2012

Nothing he says is anti-constitutional. It IS possible that the constitution doesn't address some things directly however.

I agree with you on the problems regarding for-profit prisons and gay marriage. The civil rights thing is interesting from a constitutional perspective. We currently fight racism with racism. He is against using these methods.

[HAD ENUFF HUFF]

04:51 PM on 02/20/2012

Actually Joe, the issues that concern you, are not issues that the Fed gov't is supposed to be dealing with, according to our Constitution. He is correct in saying the states should decide, individually, on the social issues you brought up. We cannot acquire "more" freedom by having the Feds give us "more" regulations.

Guess I'm a little confused about what you feel best qualifies a good presidential candidate. For me, it's one that follows our constition and works to ensure our personal and civil liberties outlined therein. Ron Paul will do those things and will also get rid of the crony capitalism, the lobbyists, the back room deals, etc. so the playing field will no longer be unlawfully slanted to give select groups a leg up over others. That should improve the economy fairly quickly. As would bringing our troops home to be spending here while guarding our own borders.

Here's the latest article that was shared with me about why we should all want this man for our next president.http://www.naturalnews.com/034630_Ron_Paul_democrats_liberals.html
It's a seemingly absurd idea on the surface: Why would democrats and liberals want to vote for Ron Paul (a Republican) over President Obama? Maybe because they want freedom instead of tyranny, it turns out. Because if you're a total slave to the police state, it doesn't really matter whether you're on the left or the right, does it?

[VoteRonPaul12]

02:45 PM on 02/19/2012

Legalizing marijuana would be one of the best things this country has ever done. Legal or Illegal, marijuana will still be the most common used drug. Just think if the goverement were to sell it and tax it. They could make up some of the deficit and stop wasting money on incarnating people for non violent crimes. The billions of dollars going to the Mexican cartels could come startight to us! Marijuana is a peaceful drug, it doesnt kill people like alchol, tabacco and perscription drugs do! The true gateway drug is alchol and tabacco! Ron Paul 2012

[Dan Prentice]

09:14 AM on 02/19/2012

Boy OH Boy did Dr Paul hit the nail squarely on the head!

[SingleSeven]

05:09 PM on 02/18/2012

Who needs "Illegal" drugs.. The doctors are pushing the good stuff, it's cheap, legal and theres never a dry spell. The doctors make money, the Government makes money and we get High, High, High..

[blissnsmiles]

05:59 PM on 02/18/2012

Yep and die die die. Prescription drugs= number 2 cause of accidental death in the U.S. And that's taking it "correctly!"

[SingleSeven]

07:47 PM on 02/18/2012

What?? #2 Killer...
Oh well, as long as our Governement and major Corporations are making money..

[VoteRonPaul12]

02:50 PM on 02/19/2012

Every perscription medicine commercial you see, more than half of it is just about the negative side effects and other problems and complications it may cause you. You can never miss use or overdose on marijuana.

[Freesia1]

01:05 PM on 02/18/2012

The CIA, banker corporate own MIC and drug cartels have been in bed together for decades. They only fight legalization due to addiction to their profiteering. The sooner we break up this corrupt, covert alliance, the better off we’ll be. Where is the outcry about people dying from legal prescription drugs being overprescribed by a system that favors Big Pharma. Physician providers are creating a whole segment of addicted patients who are made increasingly dependent by their own physicians. My niece was admitted to emergency after being prescribed six medications by her psychiatrist who is now under scrutiny by the hospital for overprescribing contraindicated meds. Per the documentary (LiveLeak) more people die from health consequences of using tobacco (450,000), alcohol (150,000) and prescription drugs (100,000) vs. cocaine and heroin (10,000), and there is no documented evidence of anyone dying from the use of marijuana.
Ron Paul speaks sensibly about ending the failed War on Drugs.

Corrupt war on drugs.
www.ciadrugs.com

LiveLeak.com - Are US Gov, CIA, Banker/Corporate run Military ...
www.liveleak.com/view?i=4f5_1318816498&comments=1

Imperialism – Bankers, Drug Wars And Genocide | Sovereign ...
www.sovereignindependent.com/?p=20349
“Drug profits, in the most basic sense, are secured through the ability of the cartels to launder and transfer billions of dollars through the US banking system. The scale and scope of the US banking-drug cartel alliance surpasses any other economic activity of the US private banking system.”

[blissnsmiles]

09:38 AM on 02/19/2012

Yes, and ending the war will do wonders for the people of Mexico too. We all deserve better.

[Freesia1]

01:16 PM on 02/19/2012

Absolutely! I spoke to a thoracic surgeon a few years ago who was offered a job as Coronor in Tijuana. He was told they had a thousand bodies they couldn't identify and were desperate to have someone help them. The reason his name came up is he had to perform emergency surgery on a friend's daughter (visiting American) who was shot in a cross fire in Tijuana. We don't know how bad it really is there.

[skyhigh139]

10:15 AM on 02/18/2012

paul in 2012 all else is the same ole cheet

[neocom43]

09:58 AM on 02/18/2012

Paul is right that the War on Drugs has been a miserable failure. Prohibition (the 18th amendment) proved that you can't control the public's urges and vices. If you took away all drugs and alcohol people would spin around in circles until they got "a high feeling." It's hard to understand, but many people simply want to live in an artificial state of being.

[Sarazzara]

10:41 AM on 02/18/2012

Well-observed and beautifully expressed.

Reminds me of my favorite Founding Father, himself a rather wise realist about human nature.

"Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it."

- Benjamin Franklin

[JubalTHarshaw]

08:35 AM on 02/18/2012

What sort of idiot thinks that it is possible to suppress a weed that grows in all fifty states? Pot smokers could make life really interesting by uniting to drop their seeds in any many arable places as possible to drive the point home.

[Buffalo1966]

06:02 PM on 02/18/2012

Ingenius.

[boba7576]

08:19 AM on 02/18/2012

Crack the " new asprin " .

[Bobby Sahlen]

07:53 AM on 02/18/2012

As far as drug policy is concerned, Paul is the only candidate who approaches it with common sense. It's a medical and educational issue, not a criminal one. We did not learn from the insanity of prohibition in the Twenties. Today's results are quite similar. It's an unwinnable war which flushes money, which could be better spent, into the toliet.

[terra33]

07:50 AM on 02/18/2012

I wish they would just means test marijuana, like make it legal for 3 years and see what happens. We know we would save billions in law enforcement, courts, and incarcerations. We know we would make millions in new taxes and we know it would cut a lot of illegal border crossings. I say it is worth a try.

[JubalTHarshaw]

08:27 AM on 02/18/2012

Are you under the impression that anyone who wants marijuana isn't getting it? An economic reality is that marijuana is the number one cash crop in at least three American states. We have federal drug laws that improperly classify marijuana as a narcotic why should we expect any justification of criminalization to be rational