The day will come when we will look back and wonder at the stupidity, the cruelty, of the "War on Drugs". Which will have been consigned to the dustbin of history.
Those most impacted by the WoD are people of colour. They are about 13% of the population, but 57% of prison inmates, even though they offend at the same rate as whites.
But all of society suffers: from unnecessary imprisonment (the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world), to the corruption of the police and political systems.
It is not just the west coast of the US that's experimenting with a better system of decriminalisation of marihuana and treatment of addiction. Portugal is doing the same, with great positive results.
Bring on decriminalisation of drugs and treatment of addiction!
"As with most social reforms, it only seems impossible until it's obvious."
Timothy Egan in the New York Times:
"A clear majority of Americans now favor pot legalization. The problem is the federal government, which still classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, alongside heroin and L.S.D. If pot was legalized nationwide, with a tax on every sale designated for treatment, it would free up the police to get at serious crimes, while ensuring that no addict would be denied treatment for lack of funds. As with most social reforms, it only seems impossible until it's obvious."
