Sir Richard Branson: We Have Lost The War On Drugs

Richard Branson says billions of pounds spent in a war against drugs have been unsuccessful. He says its time to admit defeat and change tact

It’s Time To End The Failed War On Drugs -- Sir Richard Branson, The Telegraph

Treating addicts as criminals has done absolutely nothing to address this crisis, writes Richard Branson.

Just as prohibition of alcohol failed in the United States in the 1920s, the war on drugs has failed globally. Over the past 50 years, more than $1 trillion has been spent fighting this battle, and all we have to show for it is increased drug use, overflowing jails, billions of pounds and dollars of taxpayers’ money wasted, and thriving crime syndicates. It is time for a new approach.

Too many of our leaders worldwide are ignoring policy reforms that could rapidly reduce violence and organized crime, cut down on theft, improve public health and reduce the use of illicit drugs. They are failing to act because the reforms that are needed centre on decriminalizing drug use and treating it as a health problem. They are scared to take a stand that might seem “soft”.

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Update #1: Sir Richard Branson Calls For End To 'War On Drugs' -- The Telegraph
Update #2: ‘The fight has failed globally’: Richard Branson calls drugs to be decriminalised to free up police time -- Daily Mail

My Comment: The reason why the US decided at the turn of the last century to make opiates and other drugs illegal stemmed from the consequences of having these drugs freely available and without legal restrictions. In short .... available narcotics produced a social and medical nightmare that forced American policy makers at the time to put a stop to it. And while everyone knew that enforcement would create problems of their own .... it was decided that this was a far more preferable policy than the alternative of having drugs freely available.

A case study on what drugs can do to a society is Afghanistan. Opium and it's byproduct heroin is available everywhere .... but with a million plus addicts and the social/medical/economic problems that are associated with this group .... strict law enforcement and the headaches that it causes is probably far more preferable than the alternative which is minimum enforcement and no penalties.