No matter which side of the issue you're on - the evidence says that the drug war has been a complete failure.
So, hopefully we can all agree that it needs to end, and we need to try something else. I mean, if you actually care about your fellow countrymen struggling with addiction.
Here's the best way I could come up with to end the drug war:
You take all the money spent on jailing your fellow countrymen on solely drug-related charges (excluding violent and fatal related charges) and make rehab centers.
Then, you completely decriminalize all drugs, and pay people struggling with addiction to go to the rehab centers. Do we have statistics on the number of working people that are functional addicts seeking help? How do you support a family and go to rehab? How can you afford the freedom to get the help you need.
The tax dollars are paying for the addicts room and board sooner or later. Why not sooner?
Would it work?
I'd have to see the numbers crunched (tax dollars currently spent on arresting, charging, trying (sp), convicting, sentencing, incarcerating, housing, feeding, 'healing' addicts during the course of the incarceration vs. the projected cost of the 'pay addicts to get help' program.
Just don't forget to factor in that every addict incarcerated not only costs X tax dollars - and also however much they would be paying in taxes if they had been able to get the help they need before the situation got that bad/(the government needed to meet its quota)
and I know it's not the case that everyone incarcerated on drug related charges is an addict - but I think it will pitch better to the right if it's worded like this - possible change in next draft.
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