Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jun 2013
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2013 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n267/a03.html

DRUG WAR IS WAGED IN A RACIST MANNER

I am writing in response to Rod Watson's June 13 column, "Vicious
cycle of injustice is black plague." The drug war has been waged in a
racist manner since its inception. The Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914
was preceded by a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. Opium was
identified with Chinese laborers, marijuana with Mexicans and cocaine
with African-Americans. Racial profiling continues to be the norm,
despite similar rates of drug use for minorities and whites. Support
for the drug war would end overnight if whites were incarcerated for
drugs at the same rate as minorities.

Criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and
ineffective as deterrents. Thanks to public education, legal tobacco
use has declined considerably, without any need to criminalize smokers
or imprison tobacco farmers. Mandatory minimum prison sentences, civil
asset forfeiture, random drug testing and racial profiling are not the
most cost-effective means of discouraging unhealthy choices. Drug
abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy
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