Fighting the War on Drugs

The Cornell Daily Sun (NY) ^ | OCTOBER 08, 2003 | IRENA DJURIC

[MrLeRoy]

Ethan Nadelmann, drug policy reform activist and former Princeton professor, spoke to students yesterday about building a political movement to end the war on drugs while also discussing his role as an activist within the movement.

Nadelmann said that the government's current drug war is "doing more harm than good," arguing that non-violent drug use should be treated "primarily as a health issue, not a criminal justice issue." He addressed the need for harm-reduction intervention that would treat drug offenders instead of incarcerating them.

Nadelmann's movement has called upon ballot initiative legislation to reform drug policy at the state level. In Arizona and California, two such initiatives were passed to make treatment available to non-violent drug offenders rather than sending them to jail.

In the case of the California initiative, proposition 36, 61 percent of the voting population supported treatment and was willing to double state funding for that treatment, according to Nadelmann. Even though funding was doubled, taxpayers saved a total of 1.5 billion dollars over five years for not having to expand the prison system.

"We can't be a drug-free society. The real challenge is learning to live with drugs while at the same time minimizing their harmful effects," he said. Whereas the United States continues to spend money on making our society "drug-free," Nadelmann argued that the issue needs to be viewed more realistically. Regarding drugs, he said, "it's gonna be produced legally or illegally -- one way or another." Because, as he said, "you can't change people's desires," the goal of the government should be to minimize harm to drug users.

According to Nadelmann, in the United States, "250,000-300,00 people are infected or dead because of dirty needle use." He explained that In Australia and Great Britain, the HIV rate is between 5 and 10 percent, whereas in the United States, nearly half of intravenous drug users in the 1980's and 90's had contracted HIV. Nadelmann proposes that the government should, at the very least, make drug use safer for those who are determined to do them, supporting harm reduction programs such as safe needle exchanges.

He also stressed that many diverse groups of activists must work together to make an impact on drug policy reform: "The growing movement has its own internal divisions," he said, continuing, "Some people see the issue as one of racial justice and don't care about the other stuff. Some come from a medical marijuana standpoint, some from a libertarian standpoint ... and for some people, it's about hallucinogens. We're all part of the same puzzle." Nadelmann addressed the need to attack the issue from all sides since many organizations, from HIV advocacy groups to women's groups, have a stake in the matter.

Nadelmann's interest in drug policy reform was piqued as a grad student at Harvard. He worked in the state department's narcotics unit, interviewed drug enforcement agents and saw how those incarcerated for drug possession were treated. "It was an interesting form of graduate research," he said.

To date, Nadelmann has attracted national interest in drug policy reform through articles in journals like International Organization, Daedalus and Foreign Policy. He has also appeared on many news shows, including Nightline and Larry King Live, and has written a book, Cops Across Borders. Additionally, he is the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit organization. The Alliance's stated mission is "to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights," according to the organization's website.

Students reacted positively to the lecture. "I didn't realize the amount of issues involved," said Max Bushell '06.

"It's nice to see someone recognizing that there are two sides to an issue. All those people in one way or another are affected by this," said Seth Palmer '06. "He definitely grabbed me -- I was pulled in."

"I thought he was a genius to tell you the truth," said Daniel Truini '06.

Prof. Mary Katzenstein, government, said that the decision to invite Nadelmann to campus had a lot of support. "He's one of those rare individuals who has been able to bridge academia and activism." Nadelmann's visit was sponsored by the University Lectures committee, the Peace Studies Program, the American Studies Program, the Department of Government and the Cornell Program for the Study of Contentious Politics.

[MrLeRoy]

Wod_list (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/involved?group=124) ping

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[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[MosesKnows]

building a political movement to end the war on drugs

Build a political movement to end the war on all consensual crimes as outlined in the book Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do

[MrLeRoy]

I'm on board.

[Orangedog]

In Arizona and California, two such initiatives were passed to make treatment available to non-violent drug offenders rather than sending them to jail.

Gee, I seem to remember there was a talk radio host who thought that this was a really bad idea...funny, I can't remember which one it was.

[jammer]

Me too. And I'll bet that more join our side as the radio personality is in treatment.

[jammer]

MrLeRoy, do you think that to our anti-war war should be added pardons and expungement of all criminal records for drug crimes? I advocate this totally--after all, one of the difficulties of a huge proportion of black men and many white men (not to mention many women) in going "straight" is the criminal record making them a felon on all job applications.

[MrLeRoy]

I'd have to think about that one. You make a valid point---on the other hand, their acts WERE against the law when they committed them. As somebody (rp?) once remarked, if the speed limit is raised, we don't expunge the driving records of those who were caught breaking the old limit.

[jammer]

Good point. I see two distinctions, however.

(1) We allow those people to pay tickets, with no more consequences, other than perhaps higher insurance premiums. Punishment for drug felonies is never ended. The criminal record means that an offender (not just drug use, but for any crime) can NEVER pay his debt to society.

(2)Speed limits are basically enforced to protect other citizens. The Orwellian drug laws are passed to enforce society's view of how people should live. When a speed limit is raised, we still acknowledge its necessity with ...a raised speed limit! What we want to do with the drug war is say, basically, "this was wrong. Society erred in this matter. Therefore, all these drug laws are null and void."

[Orangedog]

And I'll bet that more join our side as the radio personality is in treatment.

No they won't. Take a look at the horrendously large thread on his announcement. They are all in denial (if I may borrow from the 12 steppers) about how this is different because these are "legal" drugs. Just ask Noelle Bush how "legal" the prescription pills she was illegally obtaining and abusing were. Either way, I wish him luck. I also wish the drug warriors would drop the hypocracy so the country could end this nonsense.

[jammer]

Yes, I'm not even going back to that thread--although I did have to make one post to answer a hypocrisy defense. You said it as well as it can be said.

I wish him luck, also, and fortitude. Just as I do all others I know who are fighting this affliction.

[A CA Guy]

Drugs anyone? Ethan Nadelmann, director of the Drug Policy Alliance, gives a talk on the war against drugs in McGraw Hall.

Oh this is just so special.

You are against addiction you say. Are against these illegal drugs but appear a drug advocate here.

You can't stand on all sides at once unless you change your name to Clinton.

[bc2]

We can be anti-drug and still be pro-freedom and pro-Constitution.

The WOD is an abuse of about 8 of the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution; a direct violation of almost every freedom recognized in the Bill of Rights.

It is causing more crime and suffering in this nation than it is solving, and we are paying with increased taxes, a prison-industrial complex and forfiture laws that have corrupted our government, more gun laws, less freedom, and no respect for our legal system.

The time has long past for us to admit this obvious failure of our current drug policy, and to investigate and impliment a cheaper, more effective, and morally just drug policy.

[MrLeRoy]

but appear a drug advocate here.

Because of a photo caption? One I didn't even quote??

Stop clumsily trying to smear me, and address the issues.

[robertpaulsen]

Well, at least he's going to show up for treatment, unlike the participants under Proposition 36:

"From 30 percent to 40 percent of offenders fail to show up for treatment, according to the Los Angeles Times. Billed as a program for first and second offenders by initiative sponsors before the election, the newspaper reports that the average Prop 36 participant had been arrested 14 times previously and has an average of 2 felony and 5 misdemeanor convictions. Drug court participation in the state is down 23 percent."
-- nationalfamilies.org

I can save a whole bunch of money by a)not sending offenders to prison, b)sending them to rehab instead, and c)not ensuring that they show up. No prison cost and no rehab cost!

Proposition 36 "saved" California so much money that a cash-starved Gray Davis wanted to cut off funding.

So much for your touchy-feely "treatment" programs and the biased article which mentions them.

[robertpaulsen]

Some states do expunge criminal records for drug crimes. These are for first time offenders convicted of a misdemeanor.

You're proposing that we expunge felony convictions? That'll fly.

Better talk to the governor of your state about that one. I believe he has that power.

[jammer]

Better talk to the governor of your state about that one.

Oh, nice, subtle touch. I notice that misrepresentation of others' arguments is not uncommon among you drug warriors.

Let me be damned clear: I do not have any misdemeanor conviction or any felony conviction, and have never been investigated or charged with anything of the sort. Additionally, I have never violated one of our drug laws, state or federal. Therefore *I* do not need any expungement. I have had one preop Demerol 23 years ago and that's the only opiate I have ever had. So don't tell ME to talk to the governor of my state.

[jammer]

And, yes, I know that I should have said "synthetic opiate."