Street drugs: Legalize or penalize in Oklahoma?

[ JULY 16, 2009 - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK ] - A recent headline caught my eye: "Group seeks drug legalization in Oklahoma."

Legalize drugs in Oklahoma?

The group raising the issue in Oklahoma is known as LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, whose 13,000-member motto is, "Drug Abuse is Bad. The Drug War is Worse."

LEAP is calling for the end of drug prohibition, similar to the end of alcohol prohibition in 1933. They point out that ending alcohol prohibition signaled government regulation of a substance already widely used by the public and brought a thankful conclusion to a profitable but illegal smuggling business dominated by the mob.

Compare that with the drug trade of today, run by drug lords and cartels. Recent violence involving drug dealers in Mexico escalated to the point that many U.S. citizens changed their spring break travel plans out of fear for their safety. Considering the widely-reported violence included beheadings, the reaction was understandable.

There is also a tangible, financial cost to prosecute and jail drug dealers and users. In May, a report revealed that nearly 7,000 inmates were incarcerated in the Oklahoma prison system on drug-related charges. At an annual cost of $16,000 per inmate, that's $112 million spent each year imprisoning drug offenders.

Beyond the financial cost, loss of life and apparent failure of justice systems, worldwide, to make a dent in the drug trade, what's the argument for ending the prohibition of drugs? One is that in a democracy, the government has no right to dictate what its citizens consume, and the decision to consume drugs is a personal choice. Another argument is something akin to, "If you can't beat them, join them" – since we are losing the war, let's regulate drugs and, along the way, conveniently generate some tax revenue.

The opposition's response is along the lines of, "Are you crazy…legalization will only make matters worse!" Though some proponents assert that legalization will make drug use less likely, teens in Alaska – where marijuana possession of four ounces or less was legalized in the 1970s – are said to smoke pot at a rate of twice the national average.

There is also the concern that legalization will remove the stigma associated with drug use, making it more socially acceptable. Moreover, drug use harms not only the individual users but also society itself by diminishing motivation and achievement on the part of users. Finally, there's just something wrong with admitting defeat when something so destructive is involved – just look at time-lapse photographs of meth users, if you have any doubts.

Interestingly, both sides agree there is little positive about recreational drug use. There is also consensus that the war on drugs is costly in terms of money and life. The unanswered question is what to do about it, which makes the debate ongoing and interesting.

On a somewhat lighter note, contrary to popular belief, the Beatles' song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was in fact NOT inspired by the band's well-known use of hallucinogens in the 60s but by a remark made by John Lennon's young son, Julian, who drew a picture and described it as, "Lucy in the sky with diamonds."

Too bad. I liked it better when I thought it was LSD.