“The Drug War … a clear and present danger?”
Surgeon General Elders remarks to the National Press Club, while perhaps intemperate and ill-considered, finally brought public debate over the nation’s failed drug policies out of the closet.
Since 1981, the “war on drugs” has cost taxpayers more than $100 billion. Over 70% of that total was spent on law enforcement activities, tactics similar to those which proved ineffective in combating the “manufacture, sale and transportation”, but interestingly not the use, of alcohol during prohibition.
Predictably, drug enforcement efforts fell prey to market forces. Large numbers of Americans voted with their wallets and life styles. To supply this insatiable appetite, sophisticated and often ruthless networks of producers and distributors emerged in the purest spirit of free enterprise. Highly publicized governmental programs to forcibly shut down this multi-billion dollar industry have had little effect.
They have, however, escalated street prices and made drug trafficking one of the nation’s most lucrative business opportunities, created an environment in which violent street crime has flourished, and made “criminals” of millions of Americans who did nothing more than use small amounts of drugs recreationally and privately.
Concurrently, far too little emphasis has been placed on education and rehabilitation. Curbing demand has suffered at the alter of macho “tough on drugs” policies.
The hysteria over the “drug crisis” also spawned an dangerous atmosphere, inducing public acceptance of new governmental limitations on our constitutional protections against unreasonable search & seizure. While eliminating drug usage is a noble cause, our government has no right nor any obligation to protect people from their own follies. Nor should we forget in free societies governments can not force their people to act wisely and responsibly through threats or coercion.
Rather, they must seek to educate, persuade and reason with them to achieve desired social goals.
The Surgeon General speculated legalization/decriminalization of marijuana, cocaine and other drugs might significantly reduce violent crime, some 60% of which is drug and alcohol related. Forgetting other consequences of such actions, she is probably correct! Others argue decriminalization would free thousands of prison beds now occupied by small-time pushers and individual users incarcerated under mandatory sentencing guidelines. Corrections authorities could then continue holding of violent and career criminals, rather than freeing them as required by court mandates in over 40 states to reduce overcrowding or, alternatively building more, costly prisons.
Joycelyn Elders comments were met with an immediate avalanche of harsh criticism. Opponents are convinced legalization/decriminalization of drugs is tantamount to openly condoning their use, and thereby encouraging wider spread abuse. For many, even discussing the subject is unacceptable.
On the contrary, the fact a product is legal does not tacitly imply it is good or should be used. Alcohol and tobacco (which alone claims some 400,000 lives annually) are lawful, cheap and readily available. Many high-cholesterol, sodium-laden and fatty foods, lining the shelves of most supermarkets, are documented health hazards. Yet, no one seriously believes the government is encouraging their consumption.
Today, Americans eat better, smoke less and drink alcohol more responsibly than at any time in recent memory. These demand-side behavioral changes did not result from invasive or Machiavellian measures. Rather, they have been a product of improved education, more effective treatment procedures, persuasion and reason.
Unfortunately, the failed policies of the past remain more emotionally satisfying and make for feistier campaign rhetoric. Moral crusades also provide politicians with convenient cover to mask their incompetence and/or inability effectively deal with other issues like balancing the budget.
For now, however, the genie is now out of the bottle, and a fierce debate over the merits of legalization/decriminalization of “illicit” drugs is sure to follow.
Rather than participating in her public crucifixion … as most of the beltway crowd, local and national media and any number of pressure groups have done … it’s now the time to listen to Elders and undertake a sweeping, honest and impartial study of our drug policies. While it is highly unlikely the results of such an endeavor would significantly roll back current laws, it is highly conceivable they might suggest material reallocations of resource and reassessments of priorities.
To fear new ideas is to fear reality. Neither is conducive to freedom.
