Lost & Found: War On Drugs

I've never claimed to be one who is all knowing when it comes to politics. I pay attention as much as possible, but it does not consume all the media I use. I love sports and I research them, being that I want to be a sports writer in the worst way. I also want to be an attorney, so I even research law news. There's nothing better than being well rounded. So while I can not claim to be a political insider, I am intelligent enough to know what's going on.

I've also never been one to believe that politicians are out for our best interests. In a country that is supposed to be the most free in the world, we are the most jailed society in the world. For a country that's supposed to lead the world in Democracy, we have seemed to neutralize all the positives of democracy.

It also seems that business in the way we handle our "criminals" takes precedent over societal benefit. One of these ways is the "War on Drugs," made popular in the 80's by the Reagan and Bush [Sr.] administrations. One of the greatest crimes resulting in this policy is the disparity of how crimes are dealing with powder cocaine and crack cocaine are punished. Critics of the law say it unfairly targeted African-American communities, where crack is more prevalent [Wall Street Journal - May 14th, '09].

Prisons are being filled to the brim with more people coming in. Tax dollars that should be going to things that benefit Americans like better schools and bringing businesses into areas to build jobs, are in fact being used by many states to build prisons. It seems that the war on drugs only serves one purpose; to rationalize the building of prisons, plus allows for millions on millions of dollars in capture and prosecution of, in most cases, nonviolent offenders. Money spent on can be used for more important issues. In many cases, it would be cheaper for all parties involved to provide treatment or less jail time for non-violent drug users.

The war on drugs also refuses to address the actual problem. Most of these drugs are not created or grown in the United States, they are mostly imported. Punishment for lesser drugs like marijuana are too strict when marijuana is half way legal right now. The medical marijuana passage allows for marijuana use, so too should the legalization of the drug. It has medical usage, is not thought to be addictive. It's also the most common drug violator's drug of choice. In this recession, the taxation of marijuana could be a HUGE jump in revenue for the central government.

My whole message in this one is simple. The War on Drugs needs to go. It does not work in theory or in reality. It hasn't been working for anyone but the prison industry. And right now, with everyone stretching their money to make it last, the last thing tax payers need is to have to pay the $85 dollar a day fee to house a weekend weed warrior. We just don't have that kind of money, especially in a day when cities across the country are having to close schools.

I do think we have to address the drug situation in America, but the cost of legislating morals is starting to become too great. At least in this area.