Call a halt to war on drugs - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Call a halt to war on drugs - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com:

"The second sensible idea coming out of California is — hold onto your hats — legalizing and taxing marijuana. I already can hear the reaction from self-anointed Florida 'conservatives.' It goes something like this:

'Are you nuts? We'd be turning the state over to drug-crazed, hippie, liberal, Godless reprobates. Anyone advocating such a course of action would be doing the work of the devil.'

To which, I would counter: 'Those who have argued for an end to the un-winnable drug war include the late William F. Buckley, the intellectual godfather of the modern conservative movement; the late Milton Friedman, the free-market economist whose economic thinking laid the foundation of the modern conservative movement; and George P. Shultz, Ronald Reagan's venerable secretary of State.'

None of them stumped for drug use, but they all realized fighting the drug war caused more problems than it solved.

The illegal profits have turned some of the most reprehensible people in the world into major power brokers, who use a share of their fortunes to corrupt politicians, judges and police officers. The drug war is helping to destabilize foreign governments, including Mexico's and Afghanistan's. Profits are being used to bankroll terrorists. Arresting, trying and incarcerating those involved in the drug trade costs this nation and the states tens of billions of dollars annually that could be used for constructive purposes." Sphere: Related Content