Bob Barr on the war on (some) drugs

[Glandmaster]

I know he hasnt got a chance of winning as he is focusing on issues rather than theatre but he raises some good points and its nice to see a US politician lay out the possible first steps of reducing the harm of prohibition.

Federal Drug War Rethought

As both a U.S. Attorney and Member of Congress, I defended drug prohibition. But it has become increasingly clear to me, after much study, that our current strategy has not worked and will not work. The other candidates for president prefer not to address this issue, but ignoring the failure of existing policy exhibits both a poverty of thought and an absence of political courage. The federal government must turn the decision on drug policy back to the states and the citizens themselves.

[senorsalvia]

I wholeheartedly agree.   I'm betting that this issue will, in fact, be raised more and more during the next pesidential term..  If nothing else, the economics of the failed policies will be ever more talked about..  I think that this will gradually be the stimulus that will actually propel the actual "drug problem' and attendant realities into a more mainstream focus and national discussion....  Even the common tax payer that could care less about drugs is aware of the current crisis in cost effective prisons and all the other problems our current drug policies have wreaked on the economy...........

[laughingwillow]

Unfortunately, for those of us with memories long enough to remember Bob Barr's stint in Congress, he was and prolly still is a right wing religious crackpot. Not even him touting the end of prohibition would get me on his band wagon.

scott