Why the War on Drugs Should Be Ended

by Laurence M. Vance
Jul. 11, 2012

The War on Drugs is a monstrous evil that has ruined more lives than drugs themselves. Taking drugs harms the person who partakes, but not those who abstain; the War on Drugs harms everyone, even those who abstain from taking drugs.

Yet the Drug War enjoys bipartisan support in Congress, is supported by the majority of Americans, is cheered by most religious people, is espoused by most parents with young children, is championed by liberals and conservatives alike, is encouraged by the majority of law-enforcement personnel, and is even defended by those who say they advocate “civil liberties” or “limited government.”

But drugs are addictive. Yes, and so is caffeine.

But drugs are unhealthy. Yes, and so is high-fructose corn syrup.

But drugs are dangerous. Yes, and so is skateboarding.

But drugs are sinful. Yes, and so is adultery.

But drugs are a bad habit. Yes, and so is burping in public.

But drugs can be destructive. Yes, and so can tobacco smoking.

But drugs are a vice. Yes, and so is gluttony.

But drugs are immoral. Yes, and so is pornography.

But drugs harm children. Yes, and so does divorce.

But drugs may lead to premature death. Yes, and so may alcohol.

But drugs have societal costs. Yes, and so does obesity.

But drugs can lead to financial ruin. Yes, and so can using credit cards.

But drugs can kill. Yes, and so can prescription drugs.

But drugs can have unintended consequences. Yes, and so can sexual relations.

But drugs can lead to crime to support one’s habit. Yes, and so can gambling.

But drugs have no redeeming value. Yes, and neither do Twinkies.

Why, then, do so many people support the War on Drugs? The main problem, I believe, is too little commitment to freedom and, concomitantly, too much faith in government. Americans who are not firmly committed to the freedom philosophy intuitively believe that when there is a problem, government action is the best or the only way to solve it.

In spite of all the evidence of the failures and destructiveness of the Drug War, drug warriors are intransigent when it comes to ending the Drug War.

Why should the Drug War be ended?

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has failed to prevent drug abuse.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because marijuana has been found to have medical benefits.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because more people are killed by tobacco every year than are killed by all illegal drugs in the 20th century.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because smoking marijuana is less dangerous than drinking alcohol.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it violates the Constitution.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because the D.A.R.E program has had, according to the GAO, “no statistically long-term effect on preventing youth illicit drug use.”

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because more people die from drugs prescribed and administered by physicians than from illegal drugs.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it clogs the judicial system with noncrimes.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it swells the prison population with nonviolent offenders.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has failed to keep drugs away from teenagers.

The War on Drugs should not be ended not simply because it has lasted for more than 40 years with nothing lasting to show for it.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because other countries have legalized drugs with no increase in drug overdoses.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it hinders legitimate pain management and turns doctors into criminals.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has failed to keep drugs out of the hands of addicts or to get them treatment.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because of its gross sentencing disparities.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because for the first half of our nation’s history there were no prohibitions against any drug.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has made criminals out of hundreds of thousands of otherwise law-abiding Americans.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has devastated the black community.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because, according to a study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, alcohol ranks as the “most harmful drug,” beating out heroin, crack cocaine, and ecstasy.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has failed to stop the violence associated with drug trafficking.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars.

The War on Drugs should be ended simply because there are many more activities that are much more dangerous than using drugs.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it corrupts law enforcement.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it is a war on a victimless crime.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because it has failed to reduce the demand for illicit drugs.

The War on Drugs should be ended not simply because its costs far exceed its benefits.

The War on Drugs should be ended because it is a war on the Constitution, federalism, and limited government. It is a war on personal responsibility and accountability. It is a war on individual liberty and private property. It is a war on personal and financial privacy. It is a war on peaceful activity and the right to be left alone if one is not aggressing against the person or property of another.

The War on Drugs should be ended, not gradually or partially, but immediately and completely. All drugs laws should be repealed. All prisoners incarcerated for drug possession should be released. All government agencies fighting the Drug War should be abolished.

If doesn’t matter if all the bad things said about drugs are true. It doesn’t matter if drugs are sinful and immoral. It doesn’t matter if drugs are unhealthy and dangerous. It doesn’t matter if drugs are inherently addictive. It doesn’t matter if drug use leads to crime to support one’s habit. It doesn’t matter if drugs destroy homes and lives.

It doesn’t matter if marijuana is a gateway drug. It doesn’t matter if marijuana isn’t beneficial for pain management.

It doesn’t matter if someone you know died from a drug overdose. It doesn’t matter if your kids are on drugs. It doesn’t matter if you know someone who had a crack baby.

It doesn’t matter if all the supposed negative effects of ending the Drug War actually do come to pass. It doesn’t matter if millions more people would try drugs if they were legal. It doesn’t matter if drug overdoses would increase. It doesn’t matter if more people would become addicted to drugs. It doesn’t matter if drugs would become cheaper and more readily available.

It doesn’t matter if the Drug War can be “won.” It doesn’t matter if drug warriors have good intentions. It doesn’t matter if some good might come from the Drug War. It doesn’t matter if kids just say no to drugs. It doesn’t matter if drug addicts get treatment. It doesn’t matter if drug use among teens declines. It doesn’t matter if demand for drugs shrinks.

It doesn’t matter if the Drug War enjoys widespread bipartisan support. It doesn’t matter if the majority of Americans back the Drug War. It doesn’t matter if other countries believe in fighting the Drug War. It doesn’t matter if physicians, psychiatrists, police, and social workers defend the Drug War.

It doesn’t matter if advocates for medical marijuana just want to smoke pot for recreational purposes. It doesn’t matter if proponents of drug decriminalization just want to get high. It doesn’t matter if those who favor the legalization of drugs just want to get stoned out of their mind.

The War on Drugs should be ended because it is not really about drugs at all. It is about expanding the power and scope of the state. It is about politicians, bureaucrats, regulators, statists, nannies, and busybodies who tell Americans what they may and may not put into their mouths, noses, lungs, and veins.

The War on Drugs should be ended because it is a war on the free market, a free society, and freedom itself.
_
Laurence M. Vance is a policy advisor for the Future of Freedom Foundation and the author of The Revolution That Wasn’t. Visit his website: www.vancepublications.com. Send him email.