White House Czar Calls For End to 'War On Drugs'

Gil Kerlikowske, the new White House drug czar, signaled Wednesday his openness to rethinking the government's approach to fighting drug use. Brendan Smialowski for The Wall Street Journal

From The Wall Street Journal:

Kerlikowske Says Analogy Is Counterproductive; Shift Aligns With Administration Preference for Treatment Over Incarceration.

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration's new drug czar says he wants to banish the idea that the U.S. is fighting "a war on drugs," a move that would underscore a shift favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use.

In his first interview since being confirmed to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske said Wednesday the bellicose analogy was a barrier to dealing with the nation's drug issues.

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."

Read more ....

My Comment: The reason why we have drug prohibition is because there was a time in American history .... at the turn of the century .... when almost all drugs (opiates, marijuana, cocaine, etc.) were legal in the United States. The huge number of addicts, coupled with the social and medical problems that came about from this lack of prohibition, forced the U.S. to change their policy to what it is today.

Reversing today's policy will only bring about the same environment and problems that existed a century ago. Is America prepared to spend the added mega billions in health care costs and social rehabilitation .... I doubt it. We spend an enormous amount of money on drug enforcement today .... but this amount will pale if we start to legalize drug use starting with the "softer" narcotics, and then taking care of the medical and social problems after.

The Colombians are very clear on this issue .... Colombia calls on Europe to do more in drug war -- EU Business