Decriminalizing
Marijuana:
The Sky Is Not Falling
by
David Dieteman
On
some issues, Europeans have the right idea, while Americans are
misled. In many important areas concerning liberty – such as political
and economic liberty, in particular the commitment to free (as opposed
to regulated) markets, and the right to keep and bear arms – the
Americans have the right idea.
In
that regard, the British have taken a step ahead of their former
colonies in moving toward an end to the disastrous "war on
drugs." This "war" has consumed untold billions of
dollars, while at the same time resulted in a decrease in individual
liberty.
Although
one might be inclined to think that the "war on drugs"
has not decreased the liberty of those who do not use illegal drugs,
in reality, the "war on drugs" has allowed the state to
strip away constitutional protections which, one hopes, would otherwise
have remained intact. This is true not only in the USA, but in Europe
as well.
Thus,
the UK
Home Secretary, David Blunkett, surprised observers by calling for
"adult, intelligent debate" on the subject.
Blunkett’s
Home Office is in charge of domestic policies in England and Wales.
The Home Office
slogan is "Building a Safe, Just and Tolerant Society."
As
the Independent reports,
Mr
Blunkett first hinted at his position last month when he described
as an "interesting experiment" a pilot police project
in Lambeth, south London, to caution instead of arrest those in
possession of small amounts of the drug.
Last
week, [former Tory party deputy leader] Mr [Peter] Lilley called
for cannabis to be legalised and sold through licensed outlets,
prompting speculation that the Conservatives might become the
first of the main political parties to call for the decriminalisation
of soft drugs. Michael Portillo, who is backed by Mr Lilley in
the leadership race, said the issue would be considered during
a policy review if he became party leader.
Although
governor
Gary Johnson of New Mexico has called for such a debate in the
United States, no cabinet-level federal official has made a similar
call. In contrast, the Independent also notes that "Sir
David Ramsbotham, the outgoing chief inspector of prisons, became
the latest senior figure to call for the drug’s decriminalisation,"
and that "Lord Jenkins of Hillhead and Lord Baker of Dorking,
both former home secretaries, also joined the growing campaign to
change the operation of the current law." In other words, there
appears to be broad, growing support in Britain for a sensible approach
to marijuana.
Of
course, not all of Blunkett’s statements are worth adopting. For
example, the Independent adds that
Sir
David, who has monitored the Government’s drugs policies in prisons,
said that decriminalisation was needed to cut the profits of drugs
barons. "The more I think about it and the more I look at
what’s happening, the more I can see the logic of legalising drugs,
because the misery that is caused by the people who are making
criminal profit is so appalling. I think there is merit in legalising
and prescribing, so people don’t have to go and find an illegal
way of doing it," he said.
It
is indeed true that the Prohibition-style approach to marijuana – and other drugs – has made it wildly more profitable for drug
runners and producers. Prices must rise in relation to scarcity,
as well as the risks of confiscation, prison, and death. In contrast,
decriminalizing marijuana would decrease the gigantic profits caused
by Prohibition.
My
disagreement with Blunkett, then, concerns the need to "prescribe"
marijuana, as if it were medication. Unfortunately, it appears that
some who will end Prohibition will only do so in exchange for a
different, arguably more benign form of control.
 Will
Americans stick with Prohibition?
Hey,
it worked for alcohol.
July
12, 2001
Mr.
Dieteman [send him mail]
is an attorney in Erie, Pennsylvania, and a PhD candidate in philosophy
at The Catholic University of America.
©
2001 David Dieteman
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