My colleague at Metro State, Alex Padilla, provides solid commentary (on-line Denver Post) on a Colorado ballot issue, amendment 64, to decriminalize marijuana in Colorado.
Nicely done Alex. However as a small quibble from someone who has written on separating school and state, I am not sure that the measure “dedicates $40 million in revenue to fund school construction” is a real plus for the people of the state even though it is probably necessary to draw marginal support for a measure that in a free society should be a non-issue.
Alex’s conclusion:
“The evidence is clear: as long as drugs are prohibited, everyone but drug producers and dealers will lose. Approving Amendment 64 is an important step towards reforming the nation’s drug laws …”
Follow Circle Bastiat
Very nice article. I hope it passes. If not, you may want to take a look at “Prop 19 Goes Up in Smoke” http://mises.org/daily/4842 for the reasons why.
This is probably the best article I’ve seen describing the insanity of the ‘War on Drugs’.
He does omit a major beneficiary of this prohibition, the Prison Industrial Complex which includes the DEA, and the vast resources involved.
He also doesn’t mention the many victims of prohibition, people killed by SWAT teams going to the wrong address, asset forfeiture, etc.
Excellent article. Let’s give peace a chance.
Excellent article detailing the positive step in which Colorado took in decriminalizing marijuana. As noted in the article that when the Fed’s increase restrictions on the war on drugs criminal organizations will search out new ways get harder and more potent drugs across borders. With this passing will other states follow suit and decriminalize marijuana as well? And with the legalizing do you believe the “illegal” supply of marijuana will be stopped or halted?
Adams
I agree with Bill Campbell; by missing that government and a horde of crony capitalists are chief beneficiaries of the war on drugs, Padilla totally misses the dynamics that keep the war ever-extending.
But then again, so do many libertarians:
What if Cato held a conference on how the War on Drugs was a massive FAILURE, but no one noted that the Feds and others BENEFIT SPECTACULARLY from all the costs?
http://mises.org/community/blogs/tokyotom/archive/2011/12/18/what-if-cato-held-a-conference-on-how-the-war-on-drugs-was-a-massive-failure-but-no-one-noted-that-the-feds-and-others-benefit-spectacularly-from-all-the-costs.aspx
TT