IT IS TIME TO END THE DRUG WAR!

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Author: Grey Hair

Started: December 20, 2008, 7:55:33 pm

Target: Ending The Drug War

Category: Government & Politics

Supporters:

Goal:

100,000

Goal Progress:

Status

Active

As your constituent, I'm writing to you with an important question: Why are still supporting a failed policy that promotes violence and murder?

If we did not have a war on drugs, drugs and drug profits would not be controlled by criminals, it would be regulated by the F.D.A. Imagine how many overdoses that could have been avoided if every dose was the same, just like aspirin. There would not have been one single funeral of innocent civilians over drug turf wars, or botched police raids. THERE WOULD BE NO VIOLENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALE OF DRUGS!!!! As it is now, there is absolutely no inspections of the illegal drugs that are being sold IN our middle and high schools, and our laws have only increased its use by our children.

Our current policies have truly given terrorist a direct line of income to fund their missions. I have read and seen too many news stories of how opium is the largest export in Afghanistan, but how much is bought by legal drug companies such as Pfizer? None. They buy from regulated suppliers that do not fund terrorism. Our policies are funding terrorism; how have we allowed this to happen?

The drug war in Mexico that has claimed over 5000 souls is also a direct result of our failed drug policy. This is just the latest war over drugs, and drug profits that only happen because violent criminals control the drug trade. The only way that violent criminals can control it is because our government allows ONLY criminals to control it.

Now the real reason for this letter. We can not afford to fight the war on drugs any longer. Not one day longer can we the people afford to support this war that has costs so much in so many ways. Please do some very simple math and tell me how we can afford just the financial cost of this war. Please add just the basic costs needed to finance this war: Law enforcement (Local to C.I.A and military), lawyers to fight the cases, judges, prisons (we house more prisoners that any country including Russia at the height of the cold war), cost to run the prisons, social services to cover prisoners, and their children in foster care, cost to clean up crime scenes and labs, assistance to foreign countries to combat their drug wars (just Columbia and Mexico will blow you mind), probation and parole agents, the many many private contractors used to test prisoners on parole and probation, the cost of residual crime from illegal drug dealing......, the list does not end for a while. I think you know its too much, especially since we only continue to see an increase of illegal drug use every year.

Please acknowledge that we were wrong in our approach to drug prevention and start a new course that will actually reduce drug use and the dangers associated with drug use. We did it 75 years ago with alcohol, we need to do it again today.

Please consider the benefits of not criminalizing people who use drugs: Safer drug's, Pharmacist not criminals selling them (no sales to kids), safety for those who want help kicking drugs, real education to keep kids from wanting to use drugs in the first place, NO VIOLENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALE OF DRUGS, tax profits from the sale of drugs (they are being sold, lets collect the tax), no more corruption associated with the enforcement of drug laws, fewer people using drugs (Every country with relaxed drug laws report fewer people using them)........ the list goes on for a while.

I believe and that our drug laws were established on the premise that we wanted to reduce or eliminate it's abuse. It has not worked, drug use is higher than ever, cheaper than ever (Yes, cheaper), more readily available that ever, and so are the cost to fight the war.

I don't expect miracles to happen over this letter, but I pray that we start implementing intelligent drug policies that do more good than harm, and actually reduce drug use and eliminates the violence that goes with it.

That's why I'm writing to urge you to support the creation of blue ribbon commission that can take a serious look at the real cost of continuing our ineffective approach during a time of economic crisis. The results of a comprehensive review, I believe, will make it crystal clear that under our limited budgets, prohibition is a failed drug control policy that we just can't afford any longer.

Why not take a good look at the facts before our fiscal reality forces us to cut essential services that are actually necessary for protecting public health and safety for our children and families?

This is a serious issue with real consequences that we cannot afford to ignore. I look forward to reading your thoughts on what actions you think policymakers should take to solve the problems caused by our failed drug prohibition policy. Thanks in advance for your attention to this important matter.