LPA: The "War on Drugs" is the longest, costliest war in American history. It is also a war we are losing. The drug war has provided more paychecks to more bureaucrats, law enforcement officers, attorneys and judges than any program in our history. It has also made criminals out of otherwise, decent, law-abiding citizens. There are as many drug offenders in prison as there are rapists and murderers. There are people serving life sentences for possessing marijuana weighing less than a pound. It has made millionaires out of drug runners, and widows out of peace officers wives. Just as many people use drugs now, than did at the inception of the war on drugs.
There is so much that can be done to stop the lives that are being ruined. There is so much that can be done to stop the taxpayers money from being washed down the drug enforcement sewer. New laws providing treatment to habitual offenders, and community service for first time offenders. The legalization of drugs should be left up to the individual states. Any profit from drugs should be heavily taxed and used for treatment programs and educational programs in schools that teach the ramifications of drug use instead of scare tactics. More emphathis should be placed on drug use as a medical problem and a social problem, than as a law enforcement problem. Money that is spent on chasing drug runners could be better spent on homeland security and health care. We not calling for complete decriminalization of all drugs, just a more balanced, sensible view on a problem as old as mankind itself. We believe that you can't legislate morality. Morality is taught, not legislated.