The Great American Farce is finally, and overwhelmingly, being seen as such.
According to the newest
Zogby Poll, 76% of U.S. citizens are saying the 'War on Drugs' is a failure.
Here at the Drug Policy Alliance, the fact that drug prohibition fails repeatedly to meet any goals is nothing new. Hell, Prohibition of alcohol didn't work, why does anyone think prohibition of any substance will?
What is new is that after 38 years since Nixon announced the modern rendition of drug prohibition, the citizens of the United States - now two generations of them - have seen enough. While they're not quite to the door we need them to be, they are at least looking at the door for what it represents: that we need to open up a new dialog about what to do about drugs.
From the poll:
27% thought legalization of some drugs was a better answer.
25% thought stopping drugs at the border was the better solution.
19% thought reducing demand (treatment, prevention) was a good option.
13% thought stopping production in countries of origin the solution.
8% thought ending the war on drugs was the best solution.
8% weren't sure or didn't have an answer outlined above.
Taken in context, at the very most, only 8% seem to think that the current strategy focus of the United States, namely incarceration and going after medical marijuana dispensaries, is the correct solution. Those are numbers lower than the President's approval rating, and everyone says that's abysmally low.
So, basically, the U.S. citizen has spoken. Will politicians take heed though?
