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 1/2
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.