Pubdate: Thu, 15 Jan 2009
Source: Daily Tar Heel, The (U of NC, Edu)
Copyright: 2009 DTH Publishing Corp
Contact: editdesk@unc.edu
Website: http://www.dailytarheel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1949
Author: Andrew Harrell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

PROF PUSHES LEGALIZING DRUGS IN NEWEST BOOK

Suggests Help, Taxes, Not Jail

UNC economics professor Arthur Benavie doesn't want you to go to jail for
smoking pot.

His new book, "Drugs: America's Holy War," is Benavie's critique of the
U.S. government's battle against illegal substances.

Benavie calls the drug war a failure and proposes redirecting efforts to
anti-drug education and addiction help, not incarceration.

"We should have the federal, state and local governments take over the
control and regulation of these drugs instead of letting the gangsters do
it," he said.

He proposes taxing drugs, providing even more money to use for public
health and harm reduction.

Released last November, the cover design evokes the logo of the D.A.R.E.
campaign to prevent drug use among students.

"It's a crusade," Benavie said, in explanation of the title. "Nobody is
worried about the fact that they know it's not successful.

"If it's a policy, then you debate it, discuss it. When it comes to the
drug war you have a pretty eerie silence."

Benavie writes that the drug war -- nearly a century old -- spurs killings
and property crime, increases the spread of AIDS, contributes to the
erosion of civil liberties and forces the criminal punishment of of
non-violent people.

Benavie's friend Sid Simon, professor of neurobiology at Duke University,
said the money spent on the drug war exceeds the federal budget for health
and is enough to bail the country out of the current financial crisis.

The money angle is important for Benavie, whose two previous books
discussed the national budget and Social Security.

This book relies more on research than his economics experience.

"Everything is backed up by the best scientific data I can find," Benavie
said.

Benavie's interest in the subject was first started by an economics
journal article he read about the war on drugs more than a decade ago.

His voice gets louder and faster as he starts talking about the drug wars,
underscoring his passion that hasn't waned during the four years he spent
researching and writing the book.

Benavie understands that his opinions may seem controversial.

There is a chapter devoted to the legalization of marijuana, which he said
he would feel more comfortable letting his children use than alcohol if he
was a father.

But he has found support from the academic community.

"When it comes to the people who've studied the drug war, my views are
mainstream," he said.

David Jurman of Routledge Press, Benavie's publicist, says the book's
"cross-appeal," makes it marketable to both an average customer and the
academic audience.

"It is a nice situation here," he said. "It just gives us more possibility
for exposure and sales."

But Jurman said he can count on the content to sell books, too.

"It's a very riveting book. Any good book challenges people's assumptions."