History Rhymes

In 1971, President Nixon declared the “war on drugs.”  History doesn’t repeat itself it rhymes, and forty years later another policy of prohibition has been a colossal waste of taxpayer money.  Financial waste, never-ending violence, and collateral damage are the result of this ineffective policy, and are some of the reason that most Americans and chiefs of police have declared this “war” a failure.

President Obama, in the early days of his administration, led many Americans to believe that his policies towards drugs would move towards a public health-based approach.  However, history rhymes again.

Sadly, Obama’s administration has yet to distance itself from the quixotic approach and budgets reflect punishment policies rather than treatment and prevention tactics. 

It is manifest, and even recognized by Obama, that most Americans do not support prohibition.  Yet, medical marijuana raids have increased, gang violence is widespread, and violence and mayhem have also increased in Mexico, which is all related to the failed policy of prohibition.  

Obama ran and won on “hope” and “change,” and Americans supported this seismic shift towards reform and progressivism.  For forty years, money, time and lives have been wasted on a failed policy – prohibition.  Legalization, as Obama put it, was “an entirely legitimate topic for debate,” and a “public health problem.”  Enough talk, Mr. Obama, we need action.