WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A group of police and judges who want to legalize drugs pointed to new FBI numbers released today as evidence that the "war on drugs" is a failure that can never be won. The data, from the FBI's "Crime in the United States" report, shows that in 2008 there were 1,702,537 arrests for drug law violations, or one drug arrest every 18 seconds.
"In our current economic climate, we simply cannot afford to keep arresting more than three people every minute in the failed 'war on drugs,'" said Jack Cole, a retired undercover narcotics detective who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "Plus, if we legalized and taxed drug sales, we could actually create new revenue in addition to the money we'd save from ending the cruel policy of arresting users."
NEW YORK― Walter Cronkite, America’s trusted broadcaster and father figure to a nation for decades, has died in New York at the age of 92.
Covering the most important stories of his time – including the
assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Doctor Martin Luther
King, Jr., the ups and downs of the Vietnam War, Egypt’s breakthrough
peace treaty with Israel, and man’s first step on the moon – Americas
trusted Walter Cronkite to report the facts the way they were, as
symbolized by his famous sign off, “That’s the way it is.”
We are all saddened to say goodbye to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition board member Judge Jerry Paradis, who passed recently from cancer. Jerry’s rare combination of expertise and compassion will be impossible to replace.
Having presided over 1,000 drug-related cases in the Provincial Court of British Columbia before his retirement in 2003, he came to realize that drug policy, not simple drug use, was responsible for so much unnecessary death, disease, crime and addiction. He authored “A modest proposal for a sane drug policy,” the title of which captures both his personality and his quest for a rational approach to social policy. He was, of course, exceptionally intelligent and knowledgeable, but he was never arrogant or condescending.
His trip to Colombia with Witness for Peace demonstrated his personal commitment to social justice and his identification with the victims of bullying. He was appalled by what he termed a “prohibit and punish” approach to drug use and was tireless in promoting humane, workable alternatives. In reference to those who fashion and benefit from drug prohibition, he simply wondered, “How do these guys sleep at night?”
It is telling that while he was known for “lenient” sentences in drug-related cases, he was almost literally never overturned on appeal. Working within the constraints of the legal system he was able to combine his sensible, empathetic side with the intellectual rigors of jurisprudence.
Above all, Jerry was a kind, thoughtful and supportive friend. He had a wonderful, down to earth quality that made people gravitate to him and respect his judgment. He played a pivotal role in stabilizing LEAP and helping it to remain vibrant.
He will be missed.
Jack Cole, executive director
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition makes the LEAP to Brazil
Director Jack Cole presented LEAP’s solution to ending the violence to the Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy
Director Jack Cole on TV-Globo from Rio de Janeiro
(In Portuguese)
Brazilian Judges become LEAP speakers
André Luiz Nicolitt
Maria Lucia Karam
LEAP Board Member
Rubens Casara
Three days before LEAP arrived in Brazil, drug gang violence in Rio de Janeiro killed 33, including two Police officers when their helicopter was shot from the sky.
Take Action!
Sen. Jim Webb Pushes Blue Ribbon Commission to Study the Failed "Drug War"
Click here to sign the petition supporting a Blue Ribbon Commission.
LEAP Russian Translation
Thanks to Kyrgyzstan Police Colonel Alexander Zelitchenko, PhD, the republican Police Newspaper, "Statja"
(Kyrgyz Republic) started to publish information about LEAP's goals and activities 20 May 2009 and
continued in their next edition, 3 June 2009. Please view here.
We are sorry but LEAP currently has no Russian speaking staff so comments to us must be addressed in English.
$815,000 Settlement Validating Police Sergeant Jonathan Wender's Right to Speak out Against Drug Prohibition
On what US policy-reform issue could these 6 people possibly agree?
Political Spectrum
Noam Chomsky
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Barbara Ehrenreich
Milton Friedman
Howard Zinn
George P. Schultz
Legalized Regulation of all Drugs!
COPS SAY LEGALIZE DRUGS!
ASK US WHY
After nearly four decades of fueling the U.S. policy of a war on drugs with over a trillion tax dollars and 37 million arrests for nonviolent drug offenses, our confined population has quadrupled making building prisons the fastest growing industry in the United States. More than 2.2 million of our citizens are currently incarcerated and every year we arrest an additional 1.9 million more guaranteeing those prisons will be bursting at their seams. Every year we choose to continue this war will cost U.S. taxpayers another 69 billion dollars. Despite all the lives we have destroyed and all the money so ill spent, today illicit drugs are cheaper, more potent, and far easier to get than they were 35 years ago at the beginning of the war on drugs. Meanwhile, people continue dying in our streets while drug barons and terrorists continue to grow richer than ever before. We would suggest that this scenario must be the very definition of a failed public policy. This madness must cease!
The BC Civil Liberties Association has filed a complaint against the Victoria Police Department for muzzling one of its officers.
Constable David Bratzer was scheduled to speak at a harm reduction meeting in Victoria tomorrow representing the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bill that would regulate and tax cannabis. This comes after Bay State residents voted to decriminalize possession of the drug.
Jack Cole is the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a fifteen thousand member organization representing judges, lawyers and police officers advocating for the legalization of marijuana.
01/24/10 - Peter Christ(download)
Peter Christ, founding member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Neill Franklin a working Baltimore policeman
12/13/09 - Leigh Maddox(download)
Leigh Maddox, former Maryland state police officer and now a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Tony Newman of Drug Policy Alliance with Top Ten drug reform stories of 2009
11/01/09 - Bradley Jardis(download)
Bradley Jardis, a working policeman is under fire for his involvement with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Cliff Thornton of Efficacy and extract from PBS program: "Botany of Desire"
09/06/09 - Russ Jones(download)
Russ Jones with 30+ years law enforcement experience and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Abolitionists Moment
Jack Cole's presentation "End Prohibition Now!" was selected in 2007 by the International Harm Reduction Association as one of the 50 best harm reduction papers worldwide.
Click here to read or download the document:
Howard Zinn, historian and activist, whose book, "A People's History of the United States," was made into a movie narrated by many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, died at age 87.
On February 21, 2008, Jack Cole took the liberty of sending Howard a five page email explaining LEAP’s position on the war on drugs. Six minutes later, he received an email response saying, “OK, Jack you can list me as a member.” In so doing, he joined intellectual luminaries such as Noam Chomsky and Milton Friedman who understood, from quite different frameworks, the futility and corrupting barbarity of this war.
Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper on FOX News
LEAP in the News
US: Slowly, Limits on Pot Are Fading
USA Today, 09 Mar 2010 - States' Moves Reflect 'New Era' of Acceptance LOS ANGELES -- James Gray once saw himself as a drug warrior, a former federal prosecutor and county judge who sent people to prison for dealing pot and other drug offenses. Gradually, though, he became convinced that the ban on marijuana was making it more accessible to young people, not less.
US RI: OPED: Teens, Society Will Suffer If R.I. Decriminalizes Marijuana
The Providence Journal, 08 Mar 2010 - Why decriminalize marijuana when drugs are central to many of the problems relating to gangs, teenage suicide, teenage violence and low academic achievement? Anyone close to the issue -- teachers, police officers, counselors, and parents -- can speak to this with certainty: Kids have been reaching out for guidance and direction for decades, and as a nation, we have not been able to provide an answer to the confused and sometimes hypocritical and contradictory environment they have grown up in.
CN BC: North Shore News Columnist Remembered
The North Shore News, 26 Feb 2010 - Former judge and North Shore News columnist Jerry Paradis has died. Paradis was forced to stop writing his column on legal issues for the paper when he was diagnosed with cancer in his bone marrow last summer.
CN BC: US Advocate Lauds Supervised Injection Site
Vancouver Courier, 24 Feb 2010 - Critic Says Harper Government Waging Failed American Drug War The leading crusader in the U.S. for drug policy reform got his first look at the city's supervised drug injection site last week. Dr. Ethan Nadelmann, the founder and executive director of the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, came away impressed after his visit Friday to Insite on East Hastings.
"Anyone concerned about the failure of our $69 billion-a-year War on Drugs
should watch this 12-minute program. You will meet front line, ranking
police officers who give us a devastating report on why it cannot work. It
is a must-see for any journalist or public official dealing with this
issue."-- Walter Cronkite
"Damage Done
introduces a group of maverick cops - and former cops - who have put in decades fighting the
war on drugs. They may be libertarians, Republicans, socialists or evangelical Christians,
but they all believe strongly that drug prohibition is a terrible mistake and that all
illicit drugs should be controlled by government, not in the hands of criminals.
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Dedicated to our departed colleagues who courageously spoke out about the destructive policy of Drug Prohibition
Jerry Paradis
Eleanor Schockett
Gil Puder
Whitman Knapp
John Perry
Ralph Salerno
Bob Owens
Eddie Ellison
Martin Haines
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