HOW TO WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS

Finally, a court case decision I can live with.

Recently, the United States Supreme Court kept alive the federal
government's authority to enforce marijuana laws, even if states
legalize it. In spite of this decision, the small but vocal groups of
drug users and/or elitists - such as George Soros - who have been
lobbying for drug legalization since the 1970's, will continue their campaign.

Their points of logic include:

* The drug war has failed.

* We have filled our prisons with first-time, non-violent drug offenders.

* If drugs were legalized, drug dealers would go out of business.

* Some drugs, especially marijuana, are medicinal.

* We are spending an inordinate amount of money on the drug war.

Let's take a closer look at this litany of allegations.

First, as for the failing drug war, in 1979 the United States hit its
peak of drug use for the 20th century. Approximately 24 million
citizens were drug users. By 1992, due to the combined efforts of law
enforcement, prevention and treatment, the number of drug users
declined to about 11.4 million. That's over 50 percent, despite some
increases in marijuana use by high school students over the past few
years (source: International Association of Chiefs of Police).

Just imagine, if we could reduce gang violence, teen pregnancy or
HIV/AIDS by over 50 percent in a little over a decade. Could anyone
in their right mind call that a failure and demand we stop the
campaign? I'll be the first to admit that we have not yet won the war
on drugs, but we certainly have not lost it. Our police have held the
line and continue to do so.

Second, as for the idea that it's a bad thing to fill our prisons
with self-proclaimed first-time users and non-violent offenders, our
nation is experiencing a very low crime rate phenomenon for the past
several years which has run concomitant with high prison populations.
Simple coincidence? I don't think so.

Third, to the assertion that legalizing drugs will put dealers out of
business. To accomplish this, they have to be assuming that the
legalization will be total, that is, no restrictions or conditions at
all. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc., sold over-the-counter, because
applying restrictions will require illicit sources for users and
defeat their claim that dealers will simply disappear into history.
By the way, fools do not run drug cartels. These are shrewd,
criminally minded people who will devise other ways to hurt you.

Fourth, medical marijuana? Maybe, but if so will it require a
doctor's prescription or some other regulations? If the answer is
yes, those who do not need the drug for medical purposes will have to
break the law to get it.

Lastly, they claim the cost of the drug war is too high.

Government was created to provide internal and external security for
its citizens. Drugs are a threat to both. The portion of the federal
budget spent on our entire criminal justice system is about
one-to-two percent. This is hardly an excessive portion of that
budget to spend for an essential government service as mandated by
the constitution. Furthermore, the war on drugs only accounts for a
fraction of entire criminal justice system.

I hope you can sense the lunacy in this effort to turn loose the
deadly substances that have torn the fabric of our society and
threatened future generations with the ravages that afflicted those
of the '60's, '70's and '80's. Ultimate victory over drug use can be
achieved by education, research, treatment, enforcement and efforts
as simple as public outrage, similar to that directed toward tobacco
use, or a citizen's demanding a nation-wide, up-or-down vote on the
issue of legalizing drugs.