End the War on Drugs
America has had a lot of wars, and that isn't even counting the military wars! The "War on Poverty," the "War on Crime," and the "War on Terror," why so many wars? Naming something a war invokes automatic patriotism and support from many groups, both conservative and liberal. That makes it an effective political tactic. There is another: the "War on Drugs" declared in 1972 by President Richard Nixon as he was winding down the Vietnam War. Illegal drug use costs America huge sums of money every year through crime, cost to punish offenders, and lost productivity. Yet, even though we make no progress in this war, we continue to use the same tactics year after year, decade after decade. No one disagrees that illegal drug use does great harm, both to our people and the economy. The question is what to do to reduce that harm. Some argue a lack of progress is because America does not fund the problem adequately. More resources, they argue, will net ...