Drug War's Cost Too High, Returns Too Small

[greenbuddha]

US DC: PUB LTE: Drug War's Cost Too High, Returns Too Small

 

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URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n418/a10.html

Newshawk: http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Mon, 19 Aug 2013

Source: Washington Times (DC)

Copyright: 2013 The Washington Times, LLC.

Contact: yourletters@washingtontimes.com

Website: http://www.washingtontimes.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492

Author: Robert Sharpe

 

DRUG WAR'S COST TOO HIGH, RETURNS TOO SMALL

 

Kudos to Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, for defending the U.S. Constitution when so many others in Congress won't ( "National security run amok," Commentary, Aug. 9 ). The police-state approach to public health problems such as substance abuse has not worked. Warrantless government surveillance, drug-sniffing dogs in schools and random drug testing have all led to a loss of civil liberties in America, while failing miserably at preventing drug use.

 

The drug war is largely a war on marijuana. Based on findings that criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents, a majority of European Union countries have decriminalized marijuana. Despite marijuana prohibition and perhaps because of a forbidden-fruit appeal, lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the United States than it is in any European country.

 

The drug war threatens the integrity of a country founded on the concept of limited government. Thanks to the drug war, the land of the free now has the highest incarceration rate in the world. It's not possible to wage a moralistic war against consensual vices unless privacy is eliminated completely, along with the U.S. Constitution. America can either be a free country or a drug-free country, but it cannot be both.

 

ROBERT SHARPE

 

Washington

MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom

 

[Chauncy Gardner]

Looks like rational arguments may be winning against the drug war. It is way overdue.

 

Here is an interesting statistic from Washington State:

 

Since legalization, marijuana use has neither increased nor decreased. It appears that the only people who are using marijuana are the same people who used it prior to legalization.

 

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, conservative enemies of freedom.

 

Does anyone else find it ironic that American, Conservative Republicans are now on the same side as the Russian "Commies" (and Nazi Germany) when it comes to restricting the rights of adults to engage in private, consensual vices?

Edited August 19, 2013 by Chauncy Gardner

[t-pain]

the drug war costs are too darn high!

[Wild Bill]

Does anyone else find it ironic that American, Conservative Republicans are now on the same side as the Russian "Commies" (and Nazi Germany) when it comes to restricting the rights of adults to engage in private, consensual vices?

Was there ever a time when they weren't? Not in my lifetime.

Same franchise, different flags.

 

Comrade.