The War on Drugs

By Robert L. "Bob" Mulvany

The "war on drugs" is sending the wrong message to our kids. It it is telling them that the Bill of Rights is meaningless. When we demonize drugs and the drug culture, they know we are not telling them the whole truth, causing them to loose respect for anything we say. I would support legislation to remove drug control from law enforcement and place it with public health authorities.

Swat teams destroy our basic rights but do nothing to reduce drug use. Legal drugs can be controlled and monitored. Illegal drugs cannot. Drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, provides criminals and gangs with obscene profits and power. Ending prohibition will deprive drug lords of their money and power to corrupt officials and expand their violence into our schools and neighborhoods.

While repeal of prohibition will not end addiction, it will make it less destructive and permit addicts to lead productive, nearly normal lives. Most importantly, it would end the incentive for addicts to steal and to addict others thus making our lives safer. Intimidating students with drug dogs and mandatory testing sends the wrong message. It tells our young people that the Bill of Rights has no meaning. Demonizing drugs may be good politics, but it does not keep kids off drugs. First, we must be honest with ourselves and with our children. If we send pharmacists instead of police officers to teach our young people about drugs and tell them the whole truth, they will gain the understanding and trust they need to make the correct choices about drugs, on their own, without fear or coercion.

Questions? Want a full candidate statement? e-mail rmulvany@jps.net