It’s Time for Republicans to End the Failed, Immoral Drug War
Since the re-election of President Obama, it has been said the GOP could be on the verge of irrelevance at the presidential level. This is largely because of anticipated changes regarding immigration and minority demographics.
In and among the punditry, however, one specifically fertile area has been largely ignored: ending the failed "War on Drugs." Yet a new generation of market-minded conservatives can quickly bring the GOP back among young and minority voters if they have the courage to consistently apply their limited-government principles to the Drug War.
It should be telling to conservatives that liberal Democrats like President Barack Obama and senators such as Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are among the most reliable pro-Drug War politicians on the national scene. Despite promises to the contrary on the 2008 campaign trail, President Obama has ramped up federal raids on state medical marijuana dispensaries, even surpassing the total number ordered by President George W. Bush. More recently, as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton shot down Latin American leaders' suggestion that drug decriminalization be put on the table.
The United Nations has warned the Obama Administration that Colorado and Washington, both of which recently legalized marijuana for recreational use, were acting in deliberate defiance of international law and that the administration has a duty to uphold multinational treaties. These should all have been perfect opportunities for the GOP to demonstrate to young and minority voters that federalism and limited government are principles that apply across the board. Yet, instead of seizing the moment and standing up for the principle of Federalism, Republicans have been silent, choosing to cast their lot in with a demonstrably failed policy.
Conservatism is supposed to integrate the wisdom of history into its framework. The most reliable guide to good policy is not abstract philosophical theory, but the lessons of experience. Richard Nixon launched the "War on Drugs" with the intention of eliminating the scourge of drug use. Seven presidents, millions of jailed drug users, and hundreds of billions of dollars later, we are no closer to eliminating drug use than we were to eliminating alcohol use during Prohibition.
Quite the contrary, in fact. Evidence indicates marijuana use among high school students has been on the rise in recent years. There is no evidence that imprisoning drug users will lead to reduced availability on the streets. Meanwhile, new recreational drugs (think 'bath salts') are being synthesized faster than Congress can criminalize them. Can there be any doubt that Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) was right when he declared that the Drug War is a "failure"?
Opposing the failed Drug War would give the Republican Party an historic opportunity to recapture not only a large percentage of the youth vote, but some of the black vote, too. The Drug War has been devastating for the black community. Despite comprising only 12% of the population, 62% of those who are sent to state prisons for drug offenses are black. Black men are sent to prison for drug offenses at 13 times the rate of white men. This is Big Government at its worst and most discriminatory. Where are Big Government's supposed opponents when racial minorities need them? Republicans should stand up for the black community and call for an end to the failed Drug War.
Calling for an end to the Drug War does not mean giving the thumbs-up to drug use. There can be no doubt that recreational drug use can lead to ruined lives. However, a felony conviction can be even more devastating – does anyone think jailing a father who responsibly uses marijuana does him, his economic prospects, or his family any good? The President of the United States is a former recreational marijuana user, even publicly thanking his pot-smoking buddies in his high school yearbook. Does anyone think that the course of President Obama's life would have been improved by arresting him when he was young?
Moreover, statistical evidence linking drug decriminalization to reduced drug related societal damage abounds. Slightly over a decade ago, Portugal decriminalized all drugs, choosing instead to treat the matter as a public health concern. The result has been a staggering 50% decrease in estimated number of addicts, as well declining rates of overall drug use and drug-related diseases.
This makes sense. Most people avoid a drug like heroin not because it is illegal, but because it is incredibly risky to consume. Few people, in other words, would ever try heroin, regardless of its legal status. However, it is far better for help to be openly available for those who do try the drug so that the problem can be eliminated as quickly as possible. When we treat the situations that lead to drug use as health issues and not a criminal matter, we eliminate hesitation to come forward for help–and thus, the length, severity and damage of addiction.
Conservatives used to argue that the federal government cannot fix cultural problems through social-engineering legislation. That argument was right, and the results of the Drug War are living proof of it. It is time for the Republican Party to take the lead in ending this failed policy. It's good for families, it saves money, and it will engender a new perspective on the humanity of drug users.
Share This Article
