American Drug Czar, End to "The War on Drugs"

White House, Obama Administration Take Moderate, Treatment Approach

May 15, 2009

Gil Kerlikowske, recently appointed head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, pushing treatment over punishment and incarceration.

"The either/or to me has been you either support law enforcement and money and funds and resources, that includes international, border protection and domestic, or you support treatment and whose going to pay the cost of treatment. What I'd like to do is break down those barriers that kind of exist. It really isn't an either/or.

The other part of breaking down the barrier is to completely and forever end the war analogy, the war on drugs."

The above statement made by Gil Kerlikowske, the newly appointed "Drug Czar" for the Obama administration shows a definite swing away from pre-established punitive norms in law enforcement and seems to place much more emphasis on addictions treatment and rehabilitation rather than violent force and incarceration.

With a prison population in America that dwarfs that of any other "civilized" nation, the recent interview with Mr. Kerlikowske signals at least a step in the right direction.

No Legalization Yet, But Medical Marijuana Raids Will Be Ending

While Mr. Kerlikowske remained firm on opposition to legalizing marijuana, citing President Obama's response to the issue as the stance he also would adopt, the administration also said that federal authorities such as the DEA would no longer raid medical marijuana dispensaries in the 13 states where voters have declared medical marijuana to be legal, another positive signal from the White House.

According to the most recent Zogby poll of the U.S. population, a remarkable 52% support the outright legalization of marijuana for recreational use. While there can be no denying the progressive trend and bent of the general population both in the United States and Canada, very little real discussion or debate of this possibility has been entertained by either government until recently.

Proponents of legalization rightly argue that marijuana is a largely benign, non-addictive substance that not only has great medicinal benefits but also is far less damaging to the body than either alcohol or tobacco, both legal and controlled recreational substances. Further, legalization and taxation of marijuana and other cannabis products would lead to a great boom in the economy, creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue – as well as freeing an overpopulated and wrongfully incarcerated prison population, an action which would have obvious budgetary and moral benefits from the outset.

Turning a New Page in American Drug Policy as Well as Social Policy

This new tack taken by Gil Kerlikowske and the Obama administration with regards to drug policy and addictions is heartening not only for the millions of recreational cannabis users, marijuana advocates, and many law enforcement officials who are against the authoritarian practice of prohibition but also for oft-forgotten notions of personal liberty and responsibility that has taken a back seat in recent North American political administrations. For example, concurrently to this reconsideration of draconian drug law, other antiquated laws surrounding opposition to same-sex marriage are also falling in state after state, a sign of a progressive political shift that is sure to leave many old guard right-wingers, authoritarians, and social conservatives adrift.

It is difficult to discern whether America's new Drug Czar and the Obama administration will enact any real change with regards to ending the War on Drugs and by extension, prohibition – but it remains certain that this new political progression towards humane treatment for addicts and the growing support for legalization amongst the general population are both great leaps forward both for the social justice movement as well as for those lofty ideals of habeas corpus and civil liberties.

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The copyright of the article American Drug Czar, End to "The War on Drugs" in Social Activism is owned by Nicholas Morine. Permission to republish American Drug Czar, End to "The War on Drugs" in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.