25/10/2007 00:00:00
The Inhumane Drug War: Top 10 Reasons for Optimism
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The Inhumane Drug War: Top 10 Reasons for Optimism
The United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars waging a
40-year "war on drugs" that is responsible for the imprisonment of
500,000 of our fellow Americans. Despite the enormous waste of money and
lives, drugs are as easily available as ever. The warmongers say it is
for the protection of the kids, yet high schoolers can easily obtain
whatever they are looking for in this unregulated market. Fifty percent
of high-school seniors will try marijuana before they graduate.
While I could easily write about my frustration and despair when
thinking about how our elected officials wage this war on their fellow
Americans and around the world, there is reason to be optimistic for change.
Here are my Top 10 reasons for optimism in the Fight Against the War on
Drugs
* #1) The Public Supports Treatment instead of Jail for nonviolent drug
offenders
The issue of addiction touches most families. Almost everyone has a
family member that has struggled with cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine or
prescription pills. Polls find that 70 percent of Americans support
treatment instead of jail for nonviolent Americans. In 2000,
Californians approved Proposition 36, a law that gives treatment instead
of jail to nonviolent drug offenders. Thanks to Prop 36, tens of
thousands of people are receiving treatment for their addiction instead
of sitting in a jail cell.
* # 2) Millions Have Been Able to Overcome Addictions
Despite the nightmarish grip of addiction, millions of people have been
able to quit. It has been said that quitting cigarettes is one of the
most difficult drugs to give up. Think of all of all of the cigarette
smokers you know who have been able to give up cigarettes.
Interestingly, no cigarette smoker ever needed to spend years in jail to
quit smoking. Different people have used different tools to beat
addiction: 12 step programs, treatment centers, religion and their own
strength of will and determination.
* #3) The Science is with Us
Rehabilitation instead of incarceration. Clean syringes reduce HIV
transmission. Cannabis eases the suffering of seriously ill patients.
The science is with us on all of these issues. While the Drug Czar's
office tosses around billions of dollars to distort the truth, having to
sell lies has proven to be a lot more difficult than previously thought.
Although it is discouraging to see the science be trumped by propaganda
and scare tactics, I take inspiration from the issue of global warming.
For years, President Bush, the GOP and oil companies blatantly
disregarded the scientists and research. But, the tide has turned and
they are now on the wrong side of history.
* #4) Booker, Newsome, Rocky: Mayors Speaking Out Forcefully
What do San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson share in common? They are three
mayors who are speaking out forcefully against the failed, racist drug war.
All three mayors have done multiple interviews where they talk about the
insanity of the drug war and the need to move away from jails and
towards hospitals. They talk about the futility of trying to incarcerate
ourselves out of this problem.Voters are craving elected officials who
are courageous and principled enough to speak out against a failing war,
whether it is in Iraq or here at home. The three mayors will continue to
rise and grow, especially if they give voice to alternatives to our
failed wars.
* #5) Legalization reconsidered?
Once considered an unrealistic and unthinkable prospect, mainstream
discussion of the "L-word" - yes folks, legalization) is starting to
bubble. The idea was advanced in a recent cover story in the influential
Foreign Policy magazine. The article, "Why It's Time to Say No to
Prohibition," by Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy
Alliance, explains how global drug prohibition is an extraordinary
failure that is responsible for stunning levels of violence, crime,
corruption, disease and suffering throughout much of the world. More and
more people, including global leaders, know it. But few dare speak out
and say that this emperor has no clothes. Inspired by the article, the
growing debate has reached the highest levels of government in Latin
America, Europe and even Asia. This conversation and debate need to
happen on more and more levels. We can not come up with solutions if our
leaders are afraid to put all options on the table.
* #6) The Public Supports Medical Marijuana for People with HIV, Cancer
and Others in Need
Republicans and Democrats. Young and old. Black and White. The majority
in every poll, for every demographic supports medical marijuana for
people who are sick and dying. A dozen states have passed laws to allow
marijuana for medical purposes. The Drug Czar and misguided elected
officials are in the minority when it comes to harassing and arresting
HIV and cancer patients for using medicine that brings them relief.
* #7) The Democrats Control House and Head Committees
Americans frustration with the miserable war in Iraq helped sweep the
Democrats into power in 2006. The Democratic takeover had put some of
the more progressive Democrats into leadership of key committees. I have
to admit I've experienced extreme disappointment with Congress' lack of
progress in ending the war in Iraq or reforming the drug war here at
home, but there is no question that Representatives Conyers, Pelosi,
Kucinich are much more rational and humane on drug policy than their GOP
predecessors.
* #8) Europe Continues to Lead the Way
Rick Steves, a well-known travel writer wrote an eye-opening op-ed in
the Los Angles Times earlier this month that contrasted how Europe and
the United States deal with drugs and addition. Needle exchange programs
to reduce HIV, safe injection sites to reduce overdose deaths, the
decrimilization of small amounts of marijuana, these are all standard
practices in much of Europe. Steves said it best, pointing out:
" The Netherlands' policies are the most liberal, but across Europe no
one is locked away for discreetly smoking a joint. The priority is on
reducing abuse of such hard drugs as heroin and cocaine. The only
reference to marijuana I found among the pages of the European Union's
drug policy was a reference to counseling for "problem cannabis use."
Meanwhile, according to FBI statistics, in recent years about [800,000]
of the roughly [1.8 million] annual drug arrests were for marijuana --
the majority [88 percent] for possession.
"In short, Europe is making sure that the cure isn't more costly than
the problem. While the U.S. spends tax dollars on police, courts and
prisons, Europe spends its taxes on doctors, counselors and clinics.
"European leaders understand that a society has a choice: tolerate
alternative lifestyles or build more prisons. They've made their choice.
We're still building more prisons."
* #9) The Public Is Tiring From Failed Wars
Both the war in Iraq and the drug war at home are unwinnable wars.
Thousands of lives are being destroyed every year by both. We are
wasting precious dollars that could be used to help people instead of
harm people. More and more Americans are tired of the death and
destruction and want exit strategies from both failed wars. I strongly
believe elected officials who can articulate an alternative vision to
the failed wars will be rewarded.
* #10) The Movement for Alternatives to the Drug War is Growing on Left,
Right and Center
More and more people are joining the movement to end the failed war on
drugs. There are passionate people from around the country from both the
left and right of the political spectrum. This December over 1,000
people from around the world will be meeting in New Orleans at the
International Drug Policy Conference. People in recovery, will join with
students, who will join with the formerly incarcerated, who with join
with law enforcement, who will join with elected officials to all share
with each other, learn from each other, bond with each other and figure
out how we can change the way our country deals with drugs.
I have been a part of the drug policy reform movement for 8 and ½ years.
There are times that I am discouraged and feel like we are taking two
steps forward, two steps backwards and sometimes two steps to the side.
But in my heart, I truly believe that there are many reasons to be
optimistic and hopeful. We have to learn how to coexist with drugs. They
have been around for thousands of years and will be around for thousands
more. We are smart and passionate people and we can figure out how to
reduce the harms from drugs and from drug prohibition.
Tony Newman is the director of media relations at the Drug Policy Alliance.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/the-inhumane-drug-war-to_b_69764.html
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12943
Author:
The Huffington Post via UKCIA
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