Dangerous Drugs Mythology

LEAP's efforts to arbitrarily legalize drugs is almost as misguided as the current policy of arbitrarily banning them. There might be really dangerous drugs whose use should be restricted. We will never know that because our country has never adopted actual measurable standards for harm and risk as a threshold for legal sale.

We do know that illegal drugs lack disclosure, quality control or production and sale by licensed,competent and trained personnel. Those products are sold by criminals at outrageously high prices that fuel other criminal activities. The versions of the drugs are so toxic and distilled that they would sell to less than 5% of users in a regulated market. The profits are untaxed and bankroll a well armed system of criminal gangs who often direct criminal enterprises executed by addicts to bankroll their addiction.

One should expect far more drug-related problems from such a dysfunctional system. The fact that this is absent indicates an overstated need for government to protect drug users from their own stupidity. LEAP is merely an organization of police who do not share the pro crime attitudes of police who get increased funding and greater latitude to pursue and harass “suspects”. They often work in partnership with criminals to convict low level dealers and addicts – who are incarcerated at taxpayer expense.

Establishing measurable standards to restrict drugs would limit police ability to target social classes and restore credibility to our justice system. Why is LEAP silent on this issue?