Obama Administration Ends Drug War

(CAZENOVIA, N.Y.) - Kind of shocking isn't it? But then I read the body of the President's new drug czar's press release. Former Seattle Police Chief and new head man at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske admitted that the government had abdicated its' duty to the citizens of our country by not just blocking, but in some cases hiding evidence that clearly demonstrated our drug policies were based solely on ideology and not science or legal jurisprudence.

As an example, Kerlilkowski said, "government studies have shown over and over that marijuana is not a threat to civil or social order and is in fact a safer intoxicant than alcohol."

As a former cop I could not help but think "it's about time." And as an ex-cop that has been against our drug war for many years I was overjoyed at the prospect that police officers would actually be freed to perform their duties against real crime instead of chasing pot smokers and troubled addicts. I knew that the Obama administration was doing work toward reform but the text of this statement from our nation's drug czar was just amazing.

Kerlikowski pointed out that some programs had begun almost immediately upon Mr. Obama becoming President. Already our prison populations were dropping due to the Stamper Commission’s recommendations (named for it’s director, Chief Norm Stamper) to review criminal backgrounds of offenders and to move them back into their communities…families were being reunited and money previously spent on corrections facilities was now being spent on job training and funding entrepreneur programs.

Needle exchanges were being funded. Marijuana was now neither legal nor illegal. Rather it was left as an issue for each state to decide how they wished to best handle cannabis in its' various forms - as medicine, agri-industrial hemp and its' recreational use. Pot would be managed on the same model alcohol operates under.

"Promoting science isn't just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry. It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

I wish that were all true, but the truth is "change" doesn't seem to be the mantra we all thought and hoped it would be in regards to our punitive Prohibition drug policies. Our moves towards "handling" the violence now going on in Mexico calls for escalating the war as a war.

More aircraft, weapons, law enforcement personnel and now, soldiers, will go to fighting a war we lost on the first day.

Prohibition hasn't worked since God told Adam and Eve "you can't eat from that ONE tree. OK?" We know how that turned out and, well, if God can't enforce Prohibition aren't we perhaps a bit delusional thinking we can? I mean it hasn't worked well so far. Alcohol Prohibition only took 13 years to end (so miserable were the consequences of that), drugs Prohibition began over a century ago and drugs are everywhere.

And criminals control virtually every one of them and profit -- tax free -- from them all.

Sadly the drug war won't end any day soon. More cops will die fighting against the unending tide of illegal drugs or be swept up by the temptations of corruption. More innocent civilians like Kathryn Johnston of Atlanta or Patrick Dorismond, or Zeke Hernandez, or Tiffany and Charity Bowers... will die, caught in the crossfire between the peddlers of illegal drugs and the law.

From his LEAP bio: “Peter Christ retired as a police captain after a 20-year career enforcing drug laws. From the beginning, Peter believed "the drug war can never be won and it is doing more harm than good." After retiring in 1989, Peter began speaking out publicly against that War. In 1993, he became one of the first members of "ReconsiDer", one of the original forums on drug policy, involving speakers from many diverse backgrounds. Peter quickly developed into the group's leading spokesperson, appearing at hundreds of venues.

“Peter then originated the idea of creating LEAP, a drug policy reform group of current and former members of law enforcement modeled on ‘Vietnam Veterans Against the War’. In 2002, after four years of Peter's preparation, LEAP finally emerged as a viable international nonprofit educational organization.”

(LEAP speakers are available across the country to address your organization or community group. To inquire about or to schedule a LEAP speaker fill out the Speaker Request Form )

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

Audit the Audit

Welcome Home, Tom

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

realist April 3, 2009 4:54 pm (Pacific time)

Angi, and all the other pot-smoking Obama cheerleaders, if you were offended by Obama mocking us, then why did you ever vote for him? Everyone seems so shocked that he has the exact same policy on the war on drugs as he did during the campaign. You got what you asked for. More police state harassment from Obama the Great.

Shepperd April 2, 2009 6:25 am (Pacific time)

Very funny! For a brief moment, my faith in the system was restored! I should have known not to let down my guard. I love the U.S.A. but the government scares me!

jon April 1, 2009 11:28 pm (Pacific time)

One day..

Angi April 1, 2009 9:00 pm (Pacific time)

Ok that was just mean...Obama's response to the marijuana comment really angered me as one of his big supporters, I don't appreciate him mocking us.

steve April 1, 2009 4:54 pm (Pacific time)

Totally sucked in. Nice job! I guess rational thinking is elusive as ever.

Anonymous April 1, 2009 3:43 pm (Pacific time)

I HATE April fools! I knew it was too good to be true :(

Henry Ruark April 1, 2009 1:37 pm (Pacific time)

To all: All very true, and I long ago joined your ranks. BUT, despite our well-earned intensities, documented as the are by this and multiple other reports, "this one" is still not most painful, damaging and downright horrendous consequences-causing among ALL that Pres. O must consider, keep juggling, snatch from mid-aid for action, and still maintain order, manage discipline with Congress, and plan intelligently with other international leaders. "He don't yet walk on water and God Knows there's plenty of deep puddles surrounding him," wrote one friend in D.C., surveiling the action every day. SO hang in there, and let's let him have simple,sensible, sensitive American-style shot at some of these most demanding inherited-messes... Best to all beatin' drums for this demanded change...it WILL come, sooner with support for O. than if we simply add to confusion, conflict, and chaos by overblowing action demand. In P/R parlance, too-loud, too-long, too-terrible screams sometimes turn in-betweeners off and delay real action by those who MUST do so... We face that dilemma of what is demanded for action without forcing denial, delay by those already driven to desperation by the realities they already face, like 57 million without health care, and unemployment now devastating all financial planning underway.

Trent April 1, 2009 12:58 pm (Pacific time)

That's not nice... But if we all keep working at it, we will read stories like this in the future.

James Raider April 1, 2009 12:45 pm (Pacific time)

Prohibition strains the Constitution and The War on Drugs has been a misguided failure. END IT. http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2009/04/war-on-drugs-time-for-change.html Time to regain control of our streets and our sanity.

Anonymous April 1, 2009 12:14 pm (Pacific time)

That almost gave me a heart attack GIRL SCOUTS RULE!

lily April 1, 2009 11:46 am (Pacific time)

of course, something that makes sense is an april fools joke lol

Colleen McCool April 1, 2009 9:41 am (Pacific time)

Peter Christ, how I wish this were not an April Fools joke!

Anonymous April 1, 2009 9:22 am (Pacific time)

That's not funny, that's cruel ;_;

Dude April 1, 2009 8:34 am (Pacific time)

Damn, you had me going there man. I thought maybe we got through to our new dictator. Great article.

D-bag April 1, 2009 8:07 am (Pacific time)

April Fools!

[Return to Top]

Obama Administration Ends Drug War

Quick Links

DINING

MUST SEE SALEM

AUCTIONS - APPRAISALS

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ONLINE SHOPPING

Advertise with Salem-News