Legalization
I have been an advocate for legalization for quite some time. I’m an advocate not because of use, but because the current three decade war on drugs is a complete and total failure. We have thrown a trillion dollars away. We have filled our prisons with people who would better be served with treatment. We have overburdened our court systems with the same. We have overstressed the resources of our legal systems. What has been the end result?
Drugs are more potent and much easier to get. Addiction rates have increased. Violent crime has increased at an astounding rate and drug turf wars have destroyed neighborhoods. And with only 4.6% of the worlds population we now have 22.5% of the worlds prison population, a large majority for non violent drug related offenses and every year we arrest 1.9 million more. It does not take a mathematician to see where this is leading.
Three decades of failure. What more proof is needed that we are wasting time and money, especially at a time where most jurisdictions are scrambling for revenue and cutting beneficial services as a result? All while we throw away 69 billion dollars a year on this war on drugs. What intelligent person can possibly think that if we stay the course that it will suddenly change after thirty years of failure?
A common description of insanity is trying the exact same thing over and over and over while expecting different results. This war is insane. Didn’t we learn from the previous prohibition that it does nothing but create crime? Three decades of failure. It is far past time for a change. Legalization, regulation, education, and treatment are the answers.
I’d go into far more details here but have come across a site that explains it better. LEAP is unique in that it is law enforcement voicing these same concerns. They currently claim over 5000 members of law enforcement. It’s board of directors is as follows:
- Mr. Jerry Cameron, Treasurer of LEAP, Retired Police Chief of Fernandina Beach and Irmo, FL, USA
- Mr. Peter J. Christ, Vice Director of LEAP, Retired Captain, Town of Tonawanda Police Department, New York, USA
- Mr. Jack A. Cole, Executive Director of LEAP, Retired Detective Lieutenant, who served 14 years in the narcotic bureau of the New Jersey State Police, USA
- Mr. John A. Gayder, Secretary of LEAP, Currently a Constable with a police department in Ontario, Canada
- The Honorable Eleanor Schockett, Recruiting Director for LEAP, Retired Circuit Court Judge, Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA
- Mr. Terry Nelson, LEAP Director of Training, Retired from the US Border Patrol, the US Customs Service and the US Dept. of Homeland Security.
- Mr. Howard J. Wooldridge, Media Director for LEAP, Retired Detective, Bath Township Police Department, Michigan, USA
It’s advisory board follows:
- Senator Larry Campbell, former Mayor of Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, and former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who served four years in their narcotic bureau)
- The Honorable Warren W. Eginton, US District Court Judge, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
- The Honorable Gustavo de Grieff, former Attorney General of Colombia, South America, and their Ambassador to Mexico
- The Honorable Gary E. Johnson, former Governor of the State of New Mexico, USA
- The Honorable John L. Kane, US District Court Judge, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Sheriff Bill Masters, Sheriff of San Miguel County, Colorado, USA
- Dr. Joseph McNamara, former New York City Police Officer and Chief of Police for Kansas City, Missouri and San Jose, California Police Departments, USA
- Mr. Patrick V. Murphy, former Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, USA
- Mr. Eric Sterling, President, Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, Washington, DC, USA (a principal aide in developing the US Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 and the Anti-Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and 1988)
- The Honorable Robert W. Sweet, US District Court Judge, Manhattan, New York, USA
- Mr. Francis Wilkinson, former Chief Constable of Gwent Police Department, South Wales, United Kingdom
It is well worth a visit and may open some eyes.
