Let’s Fix It: End the War on Drugs

In this series of posts, Influencers explain what they wish they could fix — and how. Read all the stories here and write your own (please include the hashtag #FixIt in the body of your post).

As a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, I believe treating drugs as a health issue not a criminal problem could have a profound positive effect on society.

It has been more than four decades now since Richard Nixon declared a global “war on drugs,” leading the world down the path of tough drug laws and relentless law enforcement to stem the tide of illicit drug use, curb demand and cut off supply.

And yet, after more than $1 trillion spent, and tens of thousands of lives lost in law enforcement, the global drug market remains a multi-billion dollar industry firmly controlled by organized crime. Demand for all types of drugs is going as strong as ever, serviced by highly efficient supply chains that have so far adapted to every conceivable strategy to fight this war.

I’ve said it many times before, but the war on drugs has been a spectacular failure — a waste of public resources and a boon to crime cartels. But it has done nothing to reduce drug use and address addiction around the world.

Current drug laws need a whole range of fixes, but there is one issue where relatively simple changes in the law could literally mean the difference between a life behind bars and a fresh start for thousands, while saving millions in taxpayer funds: I’m talking about sentencing reform.

As the drug war rhetoric grew more aggressive over the years, legislation often followed suit. Politicians don’t like to appear “soft on crime,” and harsh sentences seemed like an easy way to earn the requisite credentials for public office. As a result, the United States currently keeps more people in prison than any other country in the world.

More than 2.4 million people languish in federal, state and county prisons, many of them non-violent drug users serving life sentences triggered by misguided three-strike laws that don’t distinguish between petty theft and armed robbery. Prisons everywhere are overcrowded, while law enforcement and judicial resources are wasted. It’s a travesty that has created a vicious and inescapable cycle of incarceration, ruining the lives of thousands of non-violent offenders in the process.

This fall, on November 4th, voters in California have a chance to set an example and roll back years of injustice and waste by making the right choice at the ballot box.

Proposition 47, also known as the Reduced Penalties for Some Crimes Initiative, would reduce drug possession and other low-level offenses from felonies to misdemeanors and would allow as many as 10,000 current prisoners to seek release through resentencing.

At the same time, experts estimate that Proposition 47 would save hundreds of millions in taxpayer money that could be spent more effectively on smarter approaches like mental health or drug treatment, as well as on education.

Most importantly, the ballot initiative would allow Californian authorities to redirect resources to fighting violent and serious crimes and supporting programs that protect public safety. If you ask me, I consider that a win-win situation – for the law enforcement community, for all those who deserve a second chance in life, and for the millions of Californians who want to see their taxpayer money used wisely and effectively. It’s time to say yes to Proposition 47 and send a signal that we need a better approach to drugs than incarceration and criminalization.

Photos: Virgin.com and Global Commission on Drug Policy