THE POLICY ON DRUGS

LEAP, or Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, is a non-profit
organization dedicated to drug policy reform. The founders were
former drug warriors" and many members are former actors in the
criminal justice system.

The War on Drugs (WOD) isn't a war, it is a policy. "War" implies
battle, struggle, defeat, victory, injury, and death. The so-called
War On Drugs has all of those. Except victory. Victory simply is
impossible to achieve because the very nature of human desire for
pleasure would have to be eliminated. That desire is biologically
hard-wired in humans, and other animals as well. Elephants and
non-human primates ingest fermented fruit for the apparent purpose of
experiencing pleasure. Humans, also, are "pleasure seekers" and we
engage in an astoundingly broad spectrum of methods for achieving
pleasure, and whether it's high risk sporting adventures or using
various drugs and plants, the objective is to experience pleasure and
few would be denied their quest.

Currently two of the most dangerous drugs in modern society are
legally regulated ­ tobacco and alcohol. In most instances, the use
of either of these drugs is considered a health issue rather than a
criminal issue. The use of all other drugs, even prescription drugs
under certain circumstances, is considered a crime to be addressed by
the criminal justice system rather than healthcare providers.

Recently Britain's Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts,
Manufactures, and Commerce [RSA] released a two-year study calling
for an end to drug prohibition.

Recommendations from the RSA Commission's report on illegal drugs,
Drugs ­ Facing Facts" (partial list):

Drug use should be seen in the context of our use of alcohol and
tobacco, which is often far more harmful. Drug policy should, like
our policy on alcohol and tobacco, seek to regulate use and prevent
harm rather than to prohibit use altogether. Illegal drugs should be
regulated alongside alcohol, tobacco, prescribed medicines and other
legal drugs in a single regulatory framework. The remit of the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, or any similarly constituted
body, should be extended to include alcohol and tobacco.

The aim of drug policy should be to reduce harm. The widest possible
promotion of harm reduction measures should be an integral component
of a pragmatic drugs policy. For example, drug consumption rooms
should be made available where it is in the public interest to do so.

Drug treatment should be viewed primarily as a health and social
issue and should be less heavily influenced by the demands of the
criminal justice system.

To reinforce the view that drugs are primarily a social issue, and
one to be handled at the local level through multi-agency
partnerships. . .working at the local level and for overseeing local
authorities.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is no longer fit for purpose. It should
be scrapped and replaced with a new Misuse of Substances Act that:
Sets drugs in the wider context of substance misuse alongside
alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substances; Is linked to an
evidence-based index (reviewed on a regular basis) that makes clear
the relative risks of harm from individual substances; Seeks to focus
punishment mainly on harmful behaviors stemming from drug use rather
than the simple possession of drugs.

Sure, we do things differently here in "the Colonies." But surely the
wisdom of an objective study and recommendations should not, and
really cannot, be ignored.

Our War on Drugs is the new prohibition, with all the same results
and chances of success as the last one. The WOD is doing more harm
than good to our society and citizenry: we have more people in prison
on drug related charges, over 2 million, than all of Europe has for
all crimes; the WOD has disproportionately impacted minorities and
lower socio-economic groups. Since convicted felons are either
partially or completely denied the right to vote, they cannot
participate in society. How then can they be expected to be
rehabilitated or to reintegrate?

It is time to take the control of drugs out of the hands of
criminals. Legalized regulation will (and has elsewhere) result in
less crime, less disease, better treatment and prevention, will save
taxpayer dollars currently misspent on enforcement and generate tax revenue.

Remember, the drug war is a policy, not a war; policies can be
changed. Get involved, get educated, take action, contact your
elected and appointed officials and tell them that it is time to end
the War On Drugs.

Michael Jones is a veteran of USMC combat in Viet Nam and spent 20
years with the Gainesville Police Department in Florida. Three
assignments in narcotics; Special Operations Unit, SWAT & Bomb Squad
Cmdr., Patrol Division Cmdr., last 3-4 years Deputy Chief of Police.
He and his wife moved to Taos/Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico in 1996.