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 dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist
Registered: 07/20/06
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 Retired Police Officer Joseph Brooks lecture challenges War on Drugs 
#13938230 - 02/10/11 09:52 AM (2 years, 3 months ago) |
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http://www.miscellanynews.com/2.1576/joseph-brooks-lecture-challenges-war-on-drugs-1.2462891
Joseph Brooks lecture challenges War on Drugs
"If we're fighting a war on drugs, we've lost it", said retired Connecticut police officer Joseph Brooks in his lecture on Thurs, Feb. 4. Brooks spoke to Vassar students on behalf of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), an organization dedicated to disseminating information about the negative impact of America's War on Drugs. The Libertarians of Vassar (LoV) invited Brooks to speak, in the hopes that he would help raise awareness on campus for the legalization movement.
Why end the drug war? LoV Founder Paul Weinger '13 believes that there are important safety concerns: "There's a stigma. I can't go into Health Services, and say I'm interested in learning about, say, cocaine. I can't ask ‘What do you know about cocaine?' Without that, I have to go online...and try to piecemeal together an education." Weinger argues that if drugs were legalized, there might be more high-quality, public information. "Consider Vassar's Alcoho Edu. We learn about what's a standard drink and all that, and what it does to your body. There's a certain openness about alcohol. We don't talk about things that are illegal," commented Weinger.
It is difficult to gauge Vassar's interest on this topic. Although the event was sparsely attended, the audience seemed engaged. "Seeing him speak so passionately about something he believes in just goes to show that there are people out there willing to take the extra step and do something about a cause," said Marvin Ponce '14. "I feel inspired in the sense that I want to learn more about the War on Drugs."
Members of LoV believe that the War on Drugs is of vital interest to Vassar students. "Many of the original motivations for the prohibition of drugs were born from prejudice and misinformation; such laws need to be removed and are unacceptable, and I think most Vassar students would agree," wrote LoV member Kelly Shortridge '12 in an e-mailed statement. She believes that Vassar students consider social justice to be of utmost importance, and that the War on Drugs was founded on social injustice.
Lack of public attention seems to be the primary obstacle for advocates of drug legalization. LEAP, for example, is trying to "build [its] base. [It] would like to speak for a million people in this country," added Brooks toward the end of his lecture. To that end, 100 law-enforcement officials like Brooks are speaking across the country under LEAP's banner. These men and women weren't chosen lightly. Brooks, for example, was a member of the Manchester, Conn. Police Force for 30 years and commanded the town's Narcotic Task Force. However, his experience with drugs doesn't end at the enforcement level. "I am an addict. This is my drug of choice," said Brooks before pulling out a box of cigarettes, citing his struggle against nicotine.
While many agree that the United States' current drug policies are a problem, opinions diverge when it comes to the issue of finding a solution. Some, like Ponce, believe that America's anti-drug policy shouldn't be abolished, but amended. "I don't think it should be completely abandoned, I feel it is something that should be...restructured," said Ponce.
Some students in LoV disagree. Weinger, for example, prefers absolute legalization, saying, "How do you draw the line on what drugs should and shouldn't be legalized?" LoV's opinion on this controversial issue seems to be based on the tenets of its political philosophy. "The idea of libertarianism rests on the principle that each person should be able to live the life that he or she so chooses as long as it doesn't infringe upon somebody else's right to do the same. That being said, if somebody wants to smoke cannabis they ought to be able to," declared Weinger.
Despite mixed opinions about what kind of action needs to be taken, there is some consensus among those versed in the issue that action should be taken. Many proponents of drug reform agree that prohibition has become expensive. Specifically, they argue that prisons have become crowded with non-violent drug offenders, and that this overpopulation has put unnecessary strain on our country's and states' budgets. "All the money that the government puts into jails can be used for other services," said Weinger.
Looking to the future, both LoV and LEAP hope that Vassar students will consider their message when comparing candidates in next year's election. In an e-mailed statement, Shortridge commented, "by researching and voting for candidates who support legalization, as well as getting more information from organizations such as LEAP, we can...hopefully make some change to the legislation."
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