I Was Wrong About The War On Drugs -- It's A Failure

I'll admit it, just five years ago I was "Public Enemy Number 1" in the eyes of the Libertarian Party. In my 2002 congressional race for Georgia's Seventh District, the Libertarian Party ran scathing attack ads against my stand on Medical Marijuana.

Today, I am their presidential nominee and will represent libertarians at the top of the ticket on November 4th.

Huh?

That's right, Bob Barr, formerly the War on Drugs loving, Wiccan mocking, Clinton impeaching Republican is the presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party.

Now, you may be asking how this happened and my answer is simple: "The libertarians won."

For more than three decades, the Libertarian Party and small "l" libertarians have done their part to prove to America that liberty is the answer to most of the problems that we face today. Over the past several years, I was one of the many people influenced by this small party.

Whether through the free market or by simply allowing families to make their own decisions regarding the education of their children, libertarians have taught us that liberty does truly work.

In stark contrast, when government attempts to solve our societal problems, it tends to create even more of them, often increasing the size and depth of the original problem. A perfect example of this is the federal War on Drugs.

For years, I served as a federal prosecutor and member of the House of Representatives defending the federal pursuit of the drug prohibition.

Today, I can reflect on my efforts and see no progress in stopping the widespread use of drugs. I'll even argue that America's drug problem is larger today than it was when Richard Nixon first coined the phrase, "War on Drugs," in 1972.

America's drug problem is only compounded by the vast amounts of money directed at this ongoing battle. In 2005, more than $12 billion dollars was spent on federal drug enforcement efforts while another $30 billion was spent to incarcerate non-violent drug offenders.

The result of spending all of those taxpayer's dollars? We now have a huge incarceration tab for non-violent drug offenders and, at most, a 30% interception rate of hard drugs. We are also now plagued with the meth labs that are popping up like poisonous mushrooms across the country.

While it is clear the War on Drugs has been a failure, it is not enough to simply acknowledge that reality. We need to look for solutions that deal with the drug problem without costly and intrusive government agencies, and instead allow for private industry and organizations to put forward solutions that address the real problems.

One such solution was presented to me recently by a libertarian friend and supporter, Glenn Jacobs.

Glenn is a very unique guy with a very unique job. To say Glenn is a "big guy" or "intimidating" is an understatement. He gives people nightmares... literally.

Each week Glenn, who stands nearly seven feet tall, walks into a wrestling ring under the stage name "Kane" to beat other large men for sheer entertainment purposes.

Had I not pursued a career in politics -- and were about two feet taller -- I might have chosen a similar career path. Maybe...

In June of 2007, Glenn and many of his friends and co-workers in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) were rocked by the news of the Chris Benoit tragedy that took place in my home state of Georgia.

It was speculated that Chris had murdered his family and committed suicide in a steroid or "roid" rage. While it is unclear how much of a role drugs played in Benoit's actions, and whether mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) may also have been a contributing factor, it was clear the WWE had some serious problems within its organization.

In the wake of the tragedy, the head of the WWE, Vince McMahon, and its other leaders looked internally to recognize these problems and address them. Although in the two years before Benoit's death, dozens of wrestlers had been suspended, gone to rehab, or been dismissed under the WWE's recently adopted "Wellness Program," the WWE strengthened its drug policy further, re-emphasizing that its policy wasn't merely a document, but the internal laws of the company that would be enforced.

Additionally, in response to speculation by brain trauma experts that Benoit may have been suffering from brain damage caused by years of blows to the head, WWE added a MTBI component to its Wellness Program.

McMahon didn't wait for Congress to pass a law or parade his wrestlers in front of congressional committee hearings; he took the lead and assumed responsibility over the health and welfare of the individuals who work for the WWE.

As part of the WWE Wellness Program, wrestlers go through regular drug testing and even cardiovascular testing. The latter identified a previously unknown heart condition for the wrestler "MVP" and he was treated for Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. The government's War on Drugs wouldn't have done that.

Sadly, the long standing War on Drugs also did not save the life of Chris Benoit and his family. The truth is, only Chris could have saved himself through personal responsibility. However, the efforts of Vince McMahon are making progress in preventing other tragedies and harm.

The WWE is taking responsibility for its talent and giving its participants the resources that they need, through rehabilitation, testing and even anonymous help lines, to deal with any possible problems.

While there may be some employees of the organization who may not like random drug tests or being thrown on a treadmill for an EKG, they have the choice of finding a new employer.

That's the beauty of this libertarian solution. It does not take government intervention or our tax dollars. It also does not force anyone to do anything, as it only requires voluntary action and decisions.

While I applaud the WWE for taking on this responsibility with a libertarian solution, don't bother looking for me at an upcoming cage match on Friday Night Smackdown. I don't want to be responsible for hurting any of those little guys.

Comments

[fredamae]

the truth keeps coming out, way past time for the victims of Cannabis/Drug policy...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91490480

http://www.csdp.org/publicservice/addicttowar.htm

The amount of money Wasted!

[fredamae]

The US Governtment KNEW in 1974 that Cannabis can cure cancer(s)

http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~timgatewood/pot_cures_cancer.html

yet all we get from them is how "bad" "it Could be", "how bad it Might be", that in "some, it Could do x,y or z"
could it be "they" are still trying to convince "some" that Cannabis has No medical value?

I'm sorry, but the testimony from MILLIONS of sick and hurting people can No longer be considered anecdotal.

http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/cancer/THC_cancer_nov_2003.htm

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:9YtZX_rtVVQJ:houstonnorml.org/home/modules.php%3Fname%3DDownloads%26d_op%3Dgetit%26lid%3D11+1974+government+marijuana+cancer+study&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

http://news.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&q=government+marijuana+cancer+study&as_ldate=1974&as_hdate=1974&um=1&ie=UTF-8&scoring=t&sa=X&oi=archive&ct=title

Cannabis Is Medicine! Stop the Lies!

[wadenelson1]

30% in prison for non-violent drug offenses?

I seriously doubt it's that high.

HOWEVER, my bet is at least 60% of the general prison population, their VIOLENT crimes were somehow related to drugs or obtaining money for drugs.

Take the money out of it and drug dealers won't be packing heat. Let doctors prescribe.

It's not a solution, its a poor answer, but it's a BETTER answer than the "war on drugs."

[fredamae]

Prison costs as with everything else, have Risen since this report....i believe additional reports are available at the DOJ website as well as the FBI/DEA
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/prison.htm

[ejay579]

I do not pretend to know what the split is between violent and non-violent drug offenses is but I was once told by an administrator at a federal medium security prison that 85% of the inmates were incarcerated due to drug offenses.

Several weeks ago a sheriff deputy in Tennessee was killed when he attempted to arrest a parole violator which on its face does not seem to be drug related. However, the underlying crime for which the parollee was originally convicted was the sale and distribution of drugs which on its face is not a violent crime. Idiocy begets idiocy..

[mbaty]

You can't say the "free market" solves problems legitimately, because as many problems as it solves it creates a lot more. And the government does have a role in shaping society--government at best is an organizing tool of the people it governs. It is not a police state or a moral nanny, telling you what you can and can't put into your body (patented pills? Yes. A plant that grows? No.) Government definitely has it's place in any functioning society, but when government tries to interfere with the free will of millions of people, then it will inevitably fail. Remember The Secret? You can't reduce supply until you reduce demand, and that means you have to change peoples' minds. Obviously though, lies won't work. Most of us grew up with some kind of "Drug Resistance" program that was full of disinformation and exaggeration, which only leads to dissilusionment later. Dissilusionment of the propaganda concerning drugs, and by extention, anything else the powers that be say. Fear only works in the short term to change peoples' behavior, but it's costing us a lot to be so addicted to using it.

[llozano]

The problem is not so much that government makes things worse it is that our government does not act independently of special interests that influence legislation and policies. This is why we have prisons opening up all over the place; why we are arming other countries to fight their own wars, why pharmaceutical companies dictate how medicine is practiced in this country and so forth. We were sold a bill of goods; namely that the drug problem was a criminal problem and not a health problem. Now we have more people in prision that we have room for and are faced with the distinct possibility that many of them will have to be let out soon to make room for more. I work in treatment and in my experience many of the men I see come to our program had no business ever going to jail or prison. Now they have a record and we have inadvertantly made their life more difficult to put together once they do get clean. We created a similar situation with Prohibition and when wisdom prevailed we repealed those laws. I hope sometime soon we get hold of our collective wisdom and do the same with these backward laws and the war on drugs.

[swooge]

Government may well have failed in the war on drugs. Because legislating morality is stupid. The problem with libertarians is that they would be against government funding of what DOES work to combat drug abuse--treatment. In this having the government involved has been shown to most definitely help. It's not government that is the problem here, it's rigid adherence to a set ideology mainly fueled by religious dogma.

It's funny that the "small government" libertarians would be all for cutting loose large swaths of people from government programs who have been historically oppressed and who have much higher incidents of drug, alcohol, poverty and abuse linked to that oppression. Funny how they feel that 400 years of oppression can be wiped out with a few years of semi-equal rights. How many minority Libertarians do you know? Maybe about as many Republicans right?

[army193]

What would the cost be if we legalize most drugs and had out patient treatment centers for those that should go over board on the use of the drug?

[researcher]

please please show me where your parties economic policies work.

government must work for the people

as i watch deregulation i see america falling fast into economic decline

look at the massive success in setting up govenment ran community colleges and state universitys

our health care is private and it cost americans twice as much and we are ranked 35th in the world

on and on I could give examples

love your stance on the war and our american imperialism but

your stance on economic policy I see working no where in the world

give examples where it is working please

your policies if implemented would move america to a have more have not society

moving in that direction now with reagan's economics

[gawdizzdead]

Yes folks! What an elightened society we have here---a society which turns its young sons and daughters into felons for "smoking a joint." Yet we look down on the Muslim countries for incacerating and whipping their youth for "drinking a beer."

The fact is, crimes---to my untrained legal mind---can only be comitted against persons or property. So tell me: How is smoking cabbage, or lettuce, or tobacco, or cannabis harming other persons (out of breathing range) or property? This war on drugs is a farce---millions of young men and women with criminal records for a victimless "crime." But, I have hope that one day "this too shall pass." Remember, there was a time when drinking alcohol was a crime.......

[matandch]

Jail=generic institution. Saves money on all other programs. Plus, when the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything else has to be a nail.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

While you perhaps do your legacy credit in now finding some integrity and principle, sir, you'll do that legacy greater credit still by NOT forgetting this argument as soon as the race for the Presidency has finished. That lobbies use their legalized bribery influence to destroy lives at a far greater rate than the drugs ever could, and continue imprisoning people for doing no violence against others or their property, makes a mockery of OUR Constitution and the liberty OUR Government claims to defend. Remembering and fighting for these TRUTHS when you're not just seeking votes will be the confirmation when you look in the mirror that this newfound principle is actually real and honest.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

We must make distinctions between PERSONAL liberty -- which I support -- and CORPORATE liberties -- which are run amuck -- and government RESPONSIBILITIES -- which the Republicans (and many Libertarians with both a big L and little L) undermine for their own purposes.

Even if fairly regulated, capitalism is NOT the be-all end-all for all issues in our society -- many issues do not properly comport to a profit-maximizing model or goal.

That government does not do an optimal job of solving problems is beyond debate. But it sure helps if we have properly identified the problems first, and then empirically evaluate the responses.

Saying government at large doesn't work by citing the war on drugs of all things is like saying birth contol doesn't work by citing the number of rabbits in a hutch.

[ebethgay]

I want the federal government out of the business of legislating morality, period. If you do harm to yourself, that your business. If you do harm to others, expect to have the book thrown at you. If we would stop jailing people for drugs, prostitution, and gambling, we'd have plenty of space in jail for the people who actually menace society, such as child abusers, drunk drivers, thieves, assaulters, rapists, and murderers - and they'd have to serve their entire sentence.

I'm one of those "kooks" that thinks everything should be regulated by the state within the limitations of the constitution. Everything ranging from abortion, to gay marriage, to drug laws. That would allow for regional social morays to prevail within a state's laws, and if those morays don't fit with yours, you could move to a place where you'd fit in better.

All that being said, Bob Barr is not a true Libertarian.

[MsLiz]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/moray

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mores

[darthmaul]

Not everyone can just pick up and move if they don't like the state that they live in. And don't you see a contradiction in your argument? You want to leash the federal government, and yet let the state government do whatever it wants. This is what happened during the civil rights actions in the 50's and 60's. The Federal government had civil rights laws on the books, which people like George Wallace and Bull Connor didn't feel applied to "their south."

To be more specific some states already practice what you seem to be advocating. Utah has laws on the books forbidding the sale of liquor on Sunday. Jeez, this sure looks like legislating morality to me.

[adamsmith]

Neo-Libertarian is the party of the future. Republicans are Democrat Lite.............It's a one party system that plays "good cop, bad cop". Notice how the only thing that really changes are congressional salaries and perks?????

[veracity]

I heard Bob talking on the Thom Hartmann radio show on Friday, and Barr is wrong about public education - - - and most other issues, too.

I was hopping mad because Mr. Barr repeated his typical Libertarian themes (paraphrasing) "President Bush is as bad as Democrats, he has made the government and deficits grow massively, and our rights have diminished in the 7 years he has been in office"

But when Hartmann asked Barr to give specific examples of where Barr would CUT Federal spending, Bob could only lamely reply... "from the Department of Education"??

Hartmann pointed out that the Dept. Ed budget is only some $60 billion - a pittance compared to the bloated DHS, much less to Bush's wars and DOD spending, but Thom didn't go that last mile and ask Barr:

- "So - keep 'em barefoot and illiterate on the plantation... is that your vision how America will lead an ever more technologically connected and competitive world in the 21st Century?"

Righties of whatever stripe - libertarian, independent, Blue Dog, "moderate" - they are never confronted with the full extent of their ideological desires.

IF America ever truly did undo the "liberal" policies & programs of President Roosevelt's New Deal we would go right back to the days of Boom & Bust economies, the Roaring Twenties & Gilded Age... the GREAT DEPRESSION! NO worker rights, hazardous job conditions, no disability pay, no pensions, no federal policing of financial markets, bank failures, dirt roads instead of

[scottarino]

Bob is still beating the dead horse of "privatize everything" as if getting stockholders involved with every facet of life cures all ills. I can see it now...........privatized education- goes to the lowest bidder. Private police force and fire - goes to the lowest bidder. All hospitals for-profit - goes to the lowest bidder. Hell we'll all be working for the minimum wage using shoddy erquipment on a shoestring budget, all just to keep the stockholders happy.

[escobar]

I hope he tries to do something about it.