It's Time to Give Up the War on Drugs

The Bush Administration appears determined to continue the war on drugs that has been actively pursued by all U.S. governments since the Nixon Administration. I believe this is a serious mistake because that approach has failed badly. Legalizing marijuana, and even some hard drugs, may be a more effective alternative.

Defenders of the war on drugs often throw in an economic argument: It has been successful because it curtails use by raising street prices. It does this because suppliers have to be compensated for the risk of imprisonment and other punishments. It may be true that high prices have reduced the demand for drugs, but the fact remains that most illegal drugs remain popular and available, regardless of price. More important, any reduction in the number of addicts and other users has come with an enormous price tag. The U.S. alone spends almost $40 billion annually fighting the drug war, and other countries also spend big sums.