Wednesday, April 12, 2017

As a defense attorney, I see firsthand the countless number of individuals who are cycled in and out of the justice system for drug related offenses. Frankly - it can be depressing and overwhelming. Most of these individuals require treatment and an opportunity to do something productive rather than face lengthy prison or jail sentences.

Since the 1960s - the war on drugs has neither reduced the drug usage rate, nor has it stopped the dealing of drugs throughout our society. It has, however, destabilized entire communities - mainly the most vulnerable, and led to the highest incarceration rate in the world at a cost of over a trillion dollars to tax payers .

It is likely that most of you reading this know someone who has battled addiction or been affected by the war on drugs. In any case, it seems our nation's progress, however minor, will be eroded as new regulations and policies are imposed that will further burden communities nationwide rather than raise them up.

California has made progress in recent years with the passage of certain laws and propositions aimed to reduce the incarceration rate for non-violent offenders, and provide an opportunity for those arrested to improve their lives rather than locking them up and throwing away the key.

Hopefully, California will remain a guide for the nation demonstrating that a pragmatic approach to drug regulation and reduction is the only effective way to combating it.

In the end, the war on drugs is in actuality a war on our citizens.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/how-jeff-sessions-wants-to-bring-back-the-war-on-drugs/2017/04/08/414ce6be-132b-11e7-ada0-1489b735b3a3_story.html?utm_term=.8b6374fe9816

