LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT PROMOTES DRUG LEGALIZATION

Students who disagree with laws that restrict drugs and alcohol use are
not alone. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is an organization
founded and run by law enforcement officials that believe the U.S.
government should end prohibition laws.

LEAP spokesman Rick Van Wickler spoke to students on Wednesday about
law enforcement's mission to end prohibition. The event was part of
UConn's Social Justice Week.

Van Wickler is the superintendent for the Department of Corrections in
Cheshire County, NH. He has been a member of LEAP for less than a year
but he spent most of his life in law enforcement.

"It needs to be made clear, we don't advocate the use of drugs in any
form and we don't advocate the abuse of alcohol in any form," Van
Wickler said.

Van Wickler explained how the War on Drugs began in the United States
in 1970 as response to the hippie culture of the 1960s.

Since the U.S. began the War on Drugs, the price of drugs has
decreased and the potency of drugs has dramatically increased. In
1980, heroin was 3.6 percent pure; in 1999, heroin was 38 percent pure
and 70 percent less expensive.

"In the 1980s, I didn't know anyone who died of a drug overdose," Van
Wickler said. In the past 15 years, however, he's seen 17 young people
die of unintended overdoses.

"This drug war is failing," he said. "I could go into any high school
in America and score."

The United States spends $69 billion each year to fight the War on
Drugs.

"It's a massive effort here and it's more available and less expensive
than ever," Van Wickler said. "We need a humane approach; we need to
reduce death, disease, crime and addiction."

Van Wickler said that the War on Drugs promotes racism, since while 72
percent of drug users are white, but the majority of people behind
bars are African American.

African Americans, on average, serve a six year sentence for
possession or distribution of drugs, while whites, on average, serve
only four years, Van Wickler said.

"The number one victim of crime in the U.S. is a young, African
American male," he said.

Van Wickler hopes that ending the War on Drugs can help end racism and
save American tax dollars.

"1.9 million less people would be arrested each year if we legalized
drugs," he said. "$69 billion would be saved each year."

In a Common Sense for Drug Policy poll, Americans were asked, "If hard
drugs such as heroin or cocaine were legalized would you be likely to
use them?" Ninety-nine percent responded "no."

Van Wickler showed statistics that demonstrated throughout the
decades, the percentage of Americans addicted to drugs held steady at
1.3 percent.

"We say end prohibition, just legalize all drugs," he
said.

LEAP believes a sensible solution would still include the
government.

"Have the federal government produce those drugs," said Van
Wickler.

LEAP members have yet to come to a definite solution, but one idea
would allow the government to sell drugs to adults in state package
stores the same way alcohol is sold.

LEAP also advocates programs that offer hope to those who are addicted
to drugs or alcohol. LEAP would like to see an increase in government
funding for rehabilitation centers.

After Van Wickler's presentation, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy
President Don Halas said, "I think it went extremely excellent,"

"SSDP has a close association with LEAP," Halas said. "LEAP's main
goal is to end the drug war. We have the same message, but they have a
lot better backing because they've all been involved with law
enforcement."