Drugs: America's Holy War

Description

Using the best scientific evidence, Drugs: America's Holy War explores the impact and cost of America's "War on Drugs" – both in tax spending and in human terms. Is it possible that US drug policies are helping to proliferate, not prevent, a multitude of social ills including: homicide, property crime, the spread of AIDS, the contamination of drugs, the erosion of civil liberties, the punishment of thousands of non-violent people, the corruption of public officials, and the spending of billions of tax dollars in an attempt to prevent certain drugs from entering the country? In this controversial new book, award-winning economist Arthur Benavie analyzes the research findings and argues that an end to the war on drugs, much as we ended alcohol prohibition, would yield enormous international benefits, destroy dangerous and illegal drug cartels, and allow the American government to refocus its attention on public well-being. Drugs America's Holy War Copyright Contents Preface Acknowledgments PART I: Background Introduction 1 Overview 2 The Birth of the Drug War PART II: Damage from the Drug War Introduction 3 Crime 4 Public Health 5 Civil Liberties 6 Social Cohesion 7 Your Tax Dollars at Work PART III: The Federal Government's Case for the Drug War 8 The Perception of the Drug Czars 9 The Czars Defend the Drug War 10 The White House Versus the Scientists on Marijuana Dangers 11 The Czars Versus the Scientists on Cocaine and Heroin PART IV: Beyond the Drug War 12 Harm Reduction Instead of War 13 Legalizing Marijuana 14 Reforming the Laws on Hard Drugs 15 Questions and Answers Notes References Index