International Centre for Science in Drug Policy Shows Cannabis Prohibition is a Failure

[RainDog]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6aca7040-d16c-11df-96d1-00144feabdc0.html

The US government should decriminalise cannabis and instead regulate and tax producers, according to a study based on its own official statistics that suggest prohibition has simply increased its availability and potency in recent years.

The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, based in Vancouver, Canada, highlighted that while the budget of the US Office of National Drug Control had increased more than six-fold to $18bn over the past two decades, cannabis seizures had jumped four times.

The study is the most comprehensive attempt to analyse, using government data, the failure of US policy to reduce the use of cannabis through its criminalisation.

...Dr Evan Wood, founder of the centre, said: “Data collected and paid for by the US government clearly shows that prohibition has not reduced cannabis consumption or supply. Scientific evidence clearly shows that regulatory tools have the potential to effectively reduce rates of cannabis-related harm.”

Of course, THIS INFORMATION AND CONCLUSION was available via the Schaffer Drug Commission during Nixon's administration. How long will the American govt. continue to ignore the available evidence that the War on Drugs is STUPID POLICY?

Apparently, as long as Americans allow this waste of resources and lives.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. Most any prohibition of anything will be a failure.

If the item has usefullness and the people want it... prohibition will be difficult. If the item can me made or procured locally... then prohibition is nearly impossible.

History has shown this over and over again.
Booze, weapons, drugs, ... whatever.

[RainDog]

2. also, if you prohibit a substance, you make it more interesting to some people

again, the examples of Portugal and The Netherlands indicate that harm reduction rather than prohibition works best for a society that wants to deal with its problems rather than punish people who have problems.