http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13237193
Failed states and failed policies
How to stop the drug wars
Mar 5th 2009
From The Economist print edition
Prohibition has failed; legalisation is the least bad solution
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A calculated gamble, or another century of failure?
This newspaper first argued for legalisation 20 years ago (see article). Reviewing the evidence again (see article), prohibition seems even more harmful, especially for the poor and weak of the world. Legalisation would not drive gangsters completely out of drugs; as with alcohol and cigarettes, there would be taxes to avoid and rules to subvert. Nor would it automatically cure failed states like Afghanistan. Our solution is a messy one; but a century of manifest failure argues for trying it.
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If I was President O, after releasing my birth certificate, I’d declare that we had “won” the drug war. Consistent with other victories, I’d:
(1) pardon all non-violent drug offenders;
(2) direct all federal prosecutors to stop prosecuting the same;
(3) direct the Congress that they would be in session until they pass a decriminalization of all drug prohibition (the President can summon Congress back into session!);
(4) direct the DEA, FDA, and all federal agencies that they are no out of the “prohibition business”; and
(5) convene WalMart and the major drug companies to a conference at the White House and ask them how they are going to supply the nation with it’s previously illegal drugs.
(Expecting that the drug gangs will now have a FORMIDABLE competitor. Hard to run a gang when WalMart drives your “product’s” price to that of aspirin! And, makes it USP pure.)
Like this is EVER going to happen!
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Reinke Faces Life 