Latin American Commission on Drugs finds what everyone with a brain already knows.

[toxicdonut]

The War on Drugs Is a Failure - WSJ.com

The War on Drugs Is a Failure

We should focus instead on reducing harm to users and on tackling organized crime.

The war on drugs has failed. And it's high time to replace an ineffective strategy with more humane and efficient drug policies. This is the central message of the report by the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy we presented to the public recently in Rio de Janeiro.

Prohibitionist policies based on eradication, interdiction and criminalization of consumption simply haven't worked. Violence and the organized crime associated with the narcotics trade remain critical problems in our countries. Latin America remains the world's largest exporter of cocaine and cannabis, and is fast becoming a major supplier of opium and heroin. Today, we are further than ever from the goal of eradicating drugs.

Over the last 30 years, Colombia implemented all conceivable measures to fight the drug trade in a massive effort where the benefits were not proportional to the resources invested. Despite the country's achievements in lowering levels of violence and crime, the areas of illegal cultivation are again expanding. In Mexico -- another epicenter of drug trafficking -- narcotics-related violence has claimed more than 5,000 lives in the past year alone.

The revision of U.S.-inspired drug policies is urgent in light of the rising levels of violence and corruption associated with narcotics. The alarming power of the drug cartels is leading to a criminalization of politics and a politicization of crime. And the corruption of the judicial and political system is undermining the foundations of democracy in several Latin American countries.

The first step in the search for alternative solutions is to acknowledge the disastrous consequences of current policies. Next, we must shatter the taboos that inhibit public debate about drugs in our societies. Antinarcotic policies are firmly rooted in prejudices and fears that sometimes bear little relation to reality. The association of drugs with crime segregates addicts in closed circles where they become even more exposed to organized crime.

In order to drastically reduce the harm caused by narcotics, the long-term solution is to reduce demand for drugs in the main consumer countries. To move in this direction, it is essential to differentiate among illicit substances according to the harm they inflict on people's health, and the harm drugs cause to the social fabric.

In this spirit, we propose a paradigm shift in drug policies based on three guiding principles: Reduce the harm caused by drugs, decrease drug consumption through education, and aggressively combat organized crime. To translate this new paradigm into action we must start by changing the status of addicts from drug buyers in the illegal market to patients cared for by the public-health system.

We also propose the careful evaluation, from a public-health standpoint, of the possibility of decriminalizing the possession of cannabis for personal use. Cannabis is by far the most widely used drug in Latin America, and we acknowledge that its consumption has an adverse impact on health. But the available empirical evidence shows that the hazards caused by cannabis are similar to the harm caused by alcohol or tobacco.

If we want to effectively curb drug use, we should look to the campaign against tobacco consumption. The success of this campaign illustrates the effectiveness of prevention campaigns based on clear language and arguments consistent with individual experience. Likewise, statements by former addicts about the dangers of drugs will be far more compelling to current users than threats of repression or virtuous exhortations against drug use.

Such educational campaigns must be targeted at youth, by far the largest contingent of users and of those killed in the drug wars. The campaigns should also stress each person's responsibility toward the rising violence and corruption associated with the narcotics trade. By treating consumption as a matter of public health, we will enable police to focus their efforts on the critical issue: the fight against organized crime.

A growing number of political, civic and cultural leaders, mindful of the failure of our current drug policy, have publicly called for a major policy shift. Creating alternative policies is the task of many: educators, health professionals, spiritual leaders and policy makers. Each country's search for new policies must be consistent with its history and culture. But to be effective, the new paradigm must focus on health and education -- not repression.

Drugs are a threat that cuts across borders, which is why Latin America must establish dialogue with the United States and the European Union to develop workable alternatives to the war on drugs. Both the U.S. and the EU share responsibility for the problems faced by our countries, since their domestic markets are the main consumers of the drugs produced in Latin America.

The inauguration of President Barack Obama presents a unique opportunity for Latin America and the U.S. to engage in a substantive dialogue on issues of common concern, such as the reduction of domestic consumption and the control of arms sales, especially across the U.S.-Mexico border. Latin America should also pursue dialogue with the EU, asking European countries to renew their commitment to the reduction of domestic consumption and learning from their experiences with reducing the health hazards caused by drugs.

The time to act is now, and the way forward lies in strengthening partnerships to deal with a global problem that affects us all.

Mr. Cardoso is the former president of Brazil. Mr. Gaviria is a former president of Colombia. Mr. Zedillo is a former president of Mexico.

Thoughts? Overall, the alternatives this article puts forth seem perfectly sensible. It's just a problem of political will, since anything other than "zero tolerance" is painted as a step towards full legalization of all drugs to a lot of people.

 

[volinbham]

Makes sense to me.
--signed Michael Phelps

 

[Dustin4Vols]

legalize weed please

 

[rjd970]

legalize weed please

Agreed. I would never touch it, but I also don't see why it should be illegal either.

 

[volinbham]

Chairman of the Latin American Commission -- Peter Tosh

 

[gasguy98]

Decriminalizing Mary Jane is one thing but I for one don not want more people strung out on crack, heroin or meth.
It is dangerous enough driving on our roads with drunks.

Also, it one takes the argument in the article further can we claim that the attempt to stop murder is a failure because murder still happens?
What about the "war on poverty"? It is an obvious failure since there are still a significant number of poor.

 

[KingNick865]

Can't disagree with much in that article.

 

[KB5252]

Can't disagree with much in that article.

There are a few things in that article that bother me. A big part of the reason for organized crime involving drugs is that most of the countries mentioned rely on the drug trade for their economy, take it away and they lose a significant amount of money. It makes me wonder what their true motives are here.

Another issue i have is that in the article they promote making addicts patients instead of criminals. Problem is that those who are addicted by percentage are not very likely to give the drugs up, meaning that tax payers will be footing the bill for many years to come until they either decide to give it up or die from their addiction. Addicts are not rational people and will do whatever they have to in order to support their habit. That means they will either commit crimes to make money (no different than what they are doing now) or the government will need to subsidize their habit.

I have no opinion on Mary Jane, she doesn't bother me, but their is no easy solution to the harder drugs. Whatever we try will end up costing large sums of money and resources.

 

[vader]

Makes sense to me.
--signed Michael Phelps

Chairman of the Latin American Commission -- Peter Tosh

:lol: Good stuff.

 

[vader]

Decriminalizing Mary Jane is one thing but I for one don not want more people strung out on crack, heroin or meth.
It is dangerous enough driving on our roads with drunks.

I have no opinion on Mary Jane, she doesn't bother me, but their is no easy solution to the harder drugs. Whatever we try will end up costing large sums of money and resources.

I agree that weed should be decriminalized, but I am also conflicted about some of the harder drugs. There have been times when I have taken a "legalize them all and let darwinism work it out" approach, but I have seen what meth can do to people. Not good times.

It is hard to make a case that crack, heroin and meth are harmless.

That said, the zero tolerance + jail time model does not seem to be working.

 

[vader]

Oh, and just to make it three in a row...

"I'm the ladies choice like I was J.J. Evans, legalize weed and I'll say 'thank heavens'"

 

[KB5252]

I agree that weed should be decriminalized, but I am also conflicted about some of the harder drugs. There have been times when I have taken a "legalize them all and let darwinism work it out" approach, but I have seen what meth can do to people. Not good times.

It is hard to make a case that crack, heroin and meth are harmless.

That said, the zero tolerance + jail time model does not seem to be working.

I would agree with you if it wasn't for that fact that it would put young kids who might get caught up in these drugs will be at risk.

As I said there is no easy answer but if we allow drugs to become legal we will simply be moving resources we pay for fighting drugs to treating people for drugs. We will still need to confine these people during treatment, most will use again and commit crime to pay for their habit so in the end there is no real benefit to decriminalizing them.

We have beefed up customs already, now if we would secure our borders as should be done anyway we would put a large dent in the drug trade. We already know that the vast majority of drugs come into this country through our common border with Mexico and Mexico is either unwilling or unable to control the organized crime element that is running the show there. It is time that we send a message that we will no longer allow the drug cartels free reign in Northern Mexico because they pose a significant risk to us.

 

[rjd970]

It is hard to make a case that crack, heroin and meth are harmless.

I agree with you in principle. But isn't also hard to make the case that cigarettes are harmless too? Isn't smoking doing the same thing crack, heroin, and meth are doing...but it just takes longer? They are all addictive and lethal, it is just the harder stuff is more addictive and works on a faster time scale. I suspect I'm preaching to the choir here.

Some of these policies are ridiculous. I do agree pot should be legalized. The fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal and pot isn't is the reductio ad absurdum argument of our scandously stupid drug policies.

 

[KB5252]

I agree with you in principle. But isn't also hard to make the case that cigarettes are harmless too? Isn't smoking doing the same thing crack, heroin, and meth are doing...but it just takes longer? They are all addictive and lethal, it is just the harder stuff is more addictive and works on a faster time scale. I suspect I'm preaching to the choir here.

Some of these policies are ridiculous. I do agree pot should be legalized. The fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal and pot isn't is the reductio ad absurdum argument of our scandously stupid drug policies.

The only difference is that the addiction to tobacco is not so powerful that people will murder to get it.

 

[dduncan4163]

The only difference is that the addiction to tobacco is not so powerful that people will murder to get it.

You would have a different opinion if you had been around my wife when she tried to quit smoking.

 

[dduncan4163]

You would have a different opinion if you had been around my wife when she tried to quit smoking.

I am only have joking when I say that. That was a brutal two days.

I would rather get a prostate exam from Yaw Yaw while passing a kidney stone than go through that hell again.