Persisting in Failure
James Wilson Assistant Communications Director DownsizeDC.org
Please send a letter telling Congress to end the failed, unconstitutional War on Drugs.
You may borrow from or copy this letter . . .
In November, the American Medical Association urged Congress to reclassify marijuana as a "drug with possible medicinal benefit." http://tinyurl.com/yl8fywl
I believe you should go further than that, and re-think the entire War on Drugs . . .
* 87% of drug studies found that drug law enforcement was associated with increasing levels of drug-market violence http://tinyurl.com/ycrvkkc
* this is no surprise in Mexico, where 18,000 have died in three years of war between the government and drug cartels
* which is expanding to once-calm cities http://tinyurl.com/y97vzoy
But the Administration's response is to pour more aid into Mexico's unwinnable war. http://tinyurl.com/yz3hsow
Even "success" leads to failure. Look at what happened when the U.S. made strides in stopping the flow of drugs at the border . . .
* drug gangs began cultivating marijuana in America's national parks and forests
* where they use animal poisons that can pollute mountain streams and groundwater meant for legitimate farmers and ranchers. http://tinyurl.com/yfo2bhn
And cash-strapped states can no longer afford to fight this war . . .
* lack of funds actually led to a decrease in the prison population http://tinyurl.com/ybyuxe2
* 14 more states will consider legalizing medical marijuana or lessening penalties for pot possession this year
* and California is considering a bill to legalize and tax marijuana http://tinyurl.com/yl8fywl
The writing's on the wall. More and more people want this Drug War to end. I urge you take the lead. If Congress decriminalized drugs at the federal level . . .
* drugs would be distributed by legitimate businesses instead of by violent thugs
* which will lead to safer streets and neighborhoods in both the U.S. and Mexico
* and will make it less likely for minors to get access to drugs
Ending the federal War on Drugs will also . . .
* empower each state to decide the best balance of control, treatment, regulation, and taxation for itself
* save tens of billions of dollars
* and restore some of our Ninth and Tenth Amendment rights
END LETTER
You may send your message using DownsizeDC.org's Educate the Powerful System.
James Wilson
Assistant Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org
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