Cops Mark 40th Anniversary of "War on Drugs" With Grim Picture of Damage Done

Mon, Jun 13, 2011 13:00 CET

New Report Details Drug War Carnage the Obama Administration Would Rather Ignore -- Obama's Drug Czar Says He Ended "War on Drugs" Two Years Ago



WASHINGTON, DC -- Forty years ago President Nixon declared the "war on drugs." Marking this week's somber anniversary, a group of police officers, judges and corrections officials who support legalizing drugs will join forces to detail the ongoing failures of a war the Obama administration disingenuously claims it ended two years ago. Following a press conference, the law enforcers will attempt to hand-deliver a copy of their new report to President Obama's drug czar. They will also hold a teleconference for journalists not able to attend the event in Washington.



Norm Stamper, former chief of police in Seattle and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "Since President Nixon declared 'war on drugs' four decades ago, this failed policy has led to millions of arrests, a trillion dollars spent and countless lives lost. Yet drugs today are more available than ever. President Obama's drug officials keep saying they've ended the 'drug war.' But our report shows that's just not true, and we'll be hand-delivering a copy to the drug czar in hopes he'll be convinced to actually end this war, or at least stop saying he already has."



Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, like Stamper, is a former Seattle chief of police.



WHO: Police officers, corrections officials and border patrol agents who support legalizing drugs



WHAT: Press conference to release new research detailing ongoing "drug war" the Obama administration says it ended two years ago, followed by attempted hand-delivery of the report to drug czar Gil Kerlikowske



WHEN: Tuesday, June 14. In-person press conference: 10:00 AM EDT; Teleconference: 1:00 PM EDT



WHERE: National Press Club's Zenger Room (13th Floor); 529 14th St. NW; Washington, DC 20045



CALL-IN INFO FOR 1 PM EDT TELECONFERENCE: (800) 311-9404; Password - "40th Anniversary"



Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and LEAP's executive director, said, "When President Nixon declared the 'drug war' in 1971, we arrested fewer than half a million people for drug offenses that year. Today, the number has skyrocketed to almost two million drug arrests a year. We jail more of our own citizens than any other country in the world does, including those run by the worst dictators and totalitarian regimes. Is this how President Obama thinks we can 'win the future'?"



Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.



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Tom Angell, Media Relations Director

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

phone: (415) 488-6615 or (202) 557-4979

e-mail: media@leap.cc

San Francisco, CA

http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com

Videos of LEAP cops: http://YouTube.com/CopsSayLegalizeDrugs

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