In recent years, some ground has been gained in the battle for liberty on the Drug-War front, specifically at the state level, with many states adopting less oppressive laws regarding medical marijuana and some even legalizing recreational use. Possession has been decriminalized in some instances as well. Despite the progress in these areas, however, prohibition at the federal level is still going strong, even if enforcement is less than consistent.
It would be one thing if prohibition actually worked to achieve its stated goals, and could therefore be considered effective, albeit perhaps misguided, domestic policy. At least in this instance the debate would be centered on the moral question, of whether or not the state has the right to tell you how to live your life. Of course, the common-sense conclusion – that the Drug War is an immoral totalitarian program designed to dictate the intimate details of individuals’ personal lives – would still be the same.
But the fact of the matter is that the Drug War has been an abject failure on every count, especially in regards to whether it’s achieved its explicit goal of eradicating illicit drug use altogether.
This post was published at Ludwig von Mises Institute on April 11, 2016.
Follow on Twitter
Recent Comments