U.S. SHOULD LEGALIZE ILLICIT DRUGS

In June of 1971, President Richard Nixon officially declared the war
on drugs, calling drug abuse "public enemy No. 1" in the United
States." What followed during the Reagan administration was the
institution of drug policies that would shape the development of a
generation, change the way the prison system functions and the start
of what many are calling a civil war in Mexico.

In looking back at the 40 years that have transpired since the
enactment of more aggressive drug laws, it is easy to see failed
policies and it is time we decriminalized illicit drugs.

Legislators only need to reflect on the era of alcohol prohibition to
learn from the past. During that time, violent crimes increased 13
percent, drunk and disorderly conduct went up 41 percent and the
federal prison population increased a staggering 366 percent.

Based on this data, one would assume if we had not banned alcohol we
could have reduced government spending and lowered crime rates.

The non-profit organization Common Sense for Drug Policy reported in
2009 more than 50 percent of the federal prison population was made
up of drug crime offenders. By releasing non-violent offenders we
could alleviate prison overcrowding and save taxpayer money.

Drug Sense, a non-profit group that advocates ending drug
prohibition, reported the federal government has already spent more
than $2.5 billion since the beginning of this year. The Office of
National Drug Policy said in 2010, $15 billion of federal spending
went to the war on drugs.

Much of this money goes to the Drug Enforcement Agency, which is
currently helping to fight drug cartel violence in Mexico. It is
because of America's demand for cocaine, marijuana and opiates that
Mexico's numerous drug cartels have been able to establish billion
dollar drug networks.

To supply their neighbors to the north, they take control of their
territories through violent acts, such as kidnapping, torture and
murder. There have been more than 30,000 drug-related deaths on
Mexican soil since 2006.

In a recent study published by "The Lancet," a British medical
journal, drugs were rated on a scale of one to 100 based on overall
detriment to a person's health. Heroin, crack and marijuana scored
55, 54, and 24, respectively and alcohol, which is legal, readily
available and even celebrated in the U.S. scored a frightening 72.

This begs the question, why is the most harmful substance legal and
yet possession of other drugs can lead to jail time?

Perhaps it is time for Americans to step back and consider the cost
of our actions. We will continue to consume illicit substances, as
the past 40 years show, whether or not the drugs are legal.

With our current policies, it will not only continue to cost every
U.S. taxpayer to fight a losing drug war and fill already overcrowded
prisons, but it will also perpetuate the horrific violence in Mexico.

America has enough blood on it's hands, and now is the time to change
the policy before more money is wasted and lives are lost.