Sanity On Drugs?

The U.S. "War on Drugs" makes the U.S. "War on Iraq" look like a great success!

That's how lost it really is.

And Windsor County's veteran state's attorney, Robert Sand, the son of a federal judge, is sick and tired of the wasted lives and wasted resources. As the Rutland Herald/Times Argus reported in a November 30 story by Susan Smallheer - State's Attorney Critical of Drug Laws:

Sand points to Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s as the perfect example why restricting drug use won't work.

"Prohibition doesn't work; we should have learned that with alcohol," he said.

Yes, indeed. In fact, back in the long-haired 1970s, the Vermont House actually passed a bill decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana. Even a "common-sense" Republican state representative by the name of Jim Douglas voted for it!

Unfortunately, the bill died in the Vermont Senate and the U.S. War on Drugs has since ballooned into a major industry that's prosecuted and imprisoned millions of non-violent Americans while promoting a black market dominated by violent criminal gangs.

Today's Rutland Herald/Times Argus has another Susan Smallheer story on the matter that's well worth a read - Decriminalizing of Drugs Splits Law Enforcement:

James Dean, a retired probation officer at U.S. District Court in Burlington said that the war on drugs is not working. Dean worked as a federal probation officer from 1976 to 1997. "I commend Windsor County State's Attorney Robert Sand for having the intellectual integrity and political courage to point out the self-defeating nature of our approach to drugs," Dean said.

"We have transformed what is undoubtedly a health problem into a criminal justice problem," he said of drug addiction.

Dean noted that tobacco is a far more dangerous substance to the public health, noting that millions of people have died from tobacco use.

"We do not classify tobacco as criminal," Dean said, noting it was a deliberate action by society.

"We are so far down the road of a criminalization policy that we think we have no other options whatsoever," Dean said, saying he hoped Sand's comments would spur a good dialogue on the issue.

In Dean's mind, the war on drugs is like the war in Iraq — it's not working and needs a major rethinking.

He's got a point.

Think the Vermont Legislature that convenes under Montpeculiar's golden dome next month has the guts to address it?

Or will we keep the current hopeless status-quo of corruption, violence, clogged courts and overcrowded prisons in tact?

Comments

[flatlander]

Ohhhhhh....now I get it. Douglas voted to legalize small amounts of pot in the 70's, which means maybe he was smoking it, which might help explain his undying, blind love for Richard Nixon. His recent undying, blind support of Shrub Jr. must mean Ole' Jimbo is tokin' up again, or maybe it's crack this time, as that's really the only way I think any rational person could support Shrub Jr.

[sandy ward]

Montpelier seems to have a trance like gleam for law enforcement. And, it's probably pharm induced, but that's okay, because there federal funding for that too. Montpelier will not do a thing until it becomes the people they fear/represent. So, public safety bring your guns and we'll bring the joints. Let's do 4/20 in the Capitol?

[Murf]

Just to clarify, the "flatlander" who commented above is different than the "Flatlander" who writes False 45th.

I've already received a comment from someone so I wanted to clarify it.

[flatlander]

Wow. Thank goodness Murf made that clarification. Two people can now rest easy.

[SteveHeath]

A growing group of police and judges agree with the common sense expressed by Robert Sand.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition was formed four years ago to give a voice to criminal justice professionals who know full well that 21st century Prohibition does far more damage to our society than does any current levels of drug use or drug abuse.

Both newspapers printed the dual editorial this morning JUST SAY NO TO LEGALIZATION.

Those who agree with Mr. Sands's message and deplore the editorial viewpoint are invited to immediately write a Letter to the Editor.

200 words or less is best.

http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0340.html will point you to our Alert which includes all pertinent info.

See the URL within my signature for directions to our Media Activsm Center.

Cheers from Clearwater FL

Steve Heath
Media Activism Facilitator
DrugSense http://www.mapinc.org/resource