The War on the "WAR ON DRUGS"

A problem plagues our world and our nation in particular. As you read this, countless individuals who are neither able nor willing to face the reality of their existence will opt for an "easy" escape. This easy escape is not so easy, costing them their health, if not, lives, and above all, their dignity.

The problem of which I speak of is drugs.

As horrible as it is, however, a far more troubling and distressing problem exists. Day after day innocent people die in the crossfire of gang wars, citizens are imprisoned by police for "victim-less" crimes, the sick are denied medication and amelioration by government lawyers and legislatures, civil rights are violated in the way of federal witch hunts, and people are denied their most basic natural right: that to private ownership of their own bodies.

This problem is the War On Drugs.

Being in action for several decades, the time has come to realize that this senseless battle to end drug use simply does not work and actually causes more harm than intended good.

Our prison system is over loaded with "criminals" convicted of drug use/possession/trafficking. The supposed criminal caused no harm to anyone other than himself in these "victimless" crimes. This should not even constitute a crime in such a case.

People, both young and old, who have never been in trouble, find themselves locked away because they carried several ounces of one drug or another. Sentences can be as harsh as five years!

Meanwhile, while these folks are in jail, other hardened, dangerous criminals are let loose to provide room. Where's the sense in that?!

Then there is the notion that drugs cause crime. In reality, as evidence so clearly proves, it is the drug WAR, not the drugs, which creates the crime.

At the turn of last century, Prohibition was not successful in removing alcohol from society, just as the war on drugs cannot accomplish the same for drugs. What Prohibition did do, was raise prices for alcoholic beverages in speakeasies and generate mafia and organized crime.

Likewise, the war on drugs drives the prices on drugs because it makes the transport and sell of them very difficult. In order to provide the demand, organized crime has spawned leading to deaths of innocents caught in the midst of territorial gun battles.

It is evident that if drugs were legalized, availability of drugs would increase, prices would drop, and dope dealers would be out of business.

Believe it or not, the use of drugs such as marijuana for medicinal purposes is very real.

Those on HIV medication require the tranquilizing effects of marijuana to keep their daily doses of medication from being vomited out and to sooth the nausea associated with AIDS.

Clearly, these people are no criminals. They simply want to take medicine and function normal lives. Unfortunately, government lawyers of California did not see it that way, rather allowing a sick man to die after he could not stomach the pills, than to let a silly, asinine law to go neglected.

Let us not forget the countless human rights violations committed by the Drug Czar and his forces of federal, state, and local police in the name of battling drugs. Government illegally performs unwarranted searches and seizures of people and their property in order to uncover evidence of drug possession. Government also confiscates private property belonging to those arrested before they are given due process in court.

The worst human rights violation committed by the war on crime is its denying people of their right to privately own their own bodies. People have the natural liberty to inject anything, whether it is cheeseburgers or cocaine, into their body.

The problem of drug use is a personal one and can only be resolved by those it affects. The war on drugs and the harm it creates affects us all but can easily be remedied. The solution offered by libertarians and many Republicans is: legalize drugs! With the pathetic war on drugs over, crime would decrease, innocent people would not be in prison, and people would have the liberty to do with their bodies as they please.

© 2000 Sergio R. Bichao

Posted by Mike Rudolf on April 12, 2001 at 15:42:09:

This is one of the more lucid commentaries I have read about the war on drugs. The principal reason that the war on drugs does not work is that the thesis is counter to the fundamental ethic of our culture; the right of free choice.

It also feeds right into the other fundamental American ethic of free enterprise. The business of drugs is nothing if not the ultimate business opportunity. A controlled market where only the most viscious and violent criminals operate because the business is not open to the law abiding. Because its such a profitable business, it corrupts many on the fringes, particularly law enforcement(how ironic) and politicians. Thus the "war on Drugs" makes the world a more dangerous place, rather than protecting us and our childern, and perverts the notions law and order and honest government.

Clearly, the negatives overwhelm any positives . The problems of addressing this issue legally and politically are:

 1--few of us are actually impacted by the process and haven't really thought through the ethical thesis that confounds the process.

 2--There are too many institutions with "Vested" interests in continuing the war; law enforcement and politicians seeking our approval.

Until the violent nature of the business impacts the suburban areas we won't wake up to the Philosophical Truth that the taking of drugs is free choice. By the way, I don't smoke cigarettes, take drugs(very sparing aspirin use) , or even drink much(a glass of wine once a month or so)
 

last modified:Wednesday,March 19, 2008 at 04:40