Response to John Walters Op Ed in Wall Street Journal
john walters op ed in wsj
john walters op ed in wsj
I haven't been able to forget the opinion piece by John Walters in the Wall Street Journal. John Walters opinion piece was titled Drug Legalization isn't the Answer. In reading the opinion, I must conclude that Mr. Walters believes that we should continue fighting the War on Drugs in the same manner we have for the past 30 years. In deed he seems to imply that our current methods should be escalated and enhanced. What a waste of time, money and human treasure.
A majority of the population believes that the Drug War has failed and that drug policy has failed. The Drug War has done immense damage to our credibility in many foreign countries. It has militarized our law enforcement and given us the aura of extreme hubris around the world. It has placed non-violent offenders in prison for life. We have children raised without the parents who love them because we have not learned the lessons of prohibition. Families and communities are marginalized and destroyed. Marijuana is a plant whose use does not cause social problems. The problems are caused because we have declared war on it. Alcohol is the real gate way drug, but we know we cannot revisit that failed policy.
The most recent pew report shows that we now have 1 in 31 citizens under the control of the criminal justice system. This includes those incarceratedm on parole, and on probation. Why would we continue on this path? I believe it is because The Drug War has many constituents, law enforcement with their ever expanding warriors, federal state and local prosecutors, the private and public prison industry, prison guard unions, and even the mental health industry with it's legion fo drug counselors with court mandated patients.
Every family has members with alcohol and drug addiction. Now as a result of this war more and more families have family who are incarcerated. If we tried to resume the same war on alcohol we could double or triple these numbers. Why don't we legalize and regulate and tax. Take the illegal profit oout of the drug trade. Government could then begin a civil approach to law enforcement.
There will be lots of resistance to ending the War on Drugs. Tere are many businesses employee groups, and not for profits that have financial interests in escalating this failed war. We should find the courage to accept the failure and try a more civil approach.
Just a thought
You have given a well thought out argument, but I'm a cynic. And as a cynic I believe that the only way it's going to happen is for the profits on the trade to switch from going to law enforcement to direct campaign contributions. And a powerful lobby group that knows how to write legislation which no one can understand. That's the cynical take on things.
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