The only way to stop drug lords from reaping billions from the drug trade is to end drug prohibition,
says a former leader of the drug war.
The same applies to private prison companies reaping millions.
Tony O’Neill wrote 14 June 2011 in The Fix,
Why Growing Numbers of Police Are Slamming Drug Prohibition:
For decades, police were convinced that total prohibition was the only
way to end America’s deadly drug wars. Now thousands of cops are not
only having second thoughts but actually taking to the streets in protest.
“I was pro-prohibition: that’s what my training was about!” says
Major Neill Franklin, Executive Director of
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP),
who previously served for 33 years with the Maryland
State Police and the Baltimore police forces on the front line of
America’s longest running war. “Even though I grew up in Baltimore
and saw what was going on, we were taught and trained to believe that if
we push hard enough, if we lock up the people involved, then this will
eventually dissipate, or at least be reduced to a manageable level.”
He gives a long, world-weary sigh. “Of course back then I had no
clue…You just can’t tell somebody not to use and they’re gonna
stop using! As long as there are people willing to buy, and as long as
people don’t have employment, then you’re going to have an illicit
drug trade. I saw that we made these arrests—we locked up dealers and
users alike—and it might get quiet for a few days, or even a couple
of weeks, but give it time and it all starts up again.”
The War on Drugs has failed.
Like alcohol prohibition before it, it breeds more violence.
Law enforcement against it just makes it worse:
Continue reading → Shelby County school leaders have taken their fight against consolidation to the courts, filing a federal lawsuit Friday alleging that the city school board’s “irrational” charter surrender deprives Memphis students of their constitutional rights.
Further Query: Why would CUEE and the Chamber of Commerce spend $50
grand to collect the signatures for the petition causing the City of
Valdosta to spend thousands of tax dollars (2 staff dedicated to task &
4 temps hired) to verify the signatures on the petition?
