In a 2011 Republican primary debate, Paul argued that the drug war drives our immigration policy, which is enabling our government to "kill thousands and thousands of people." And in both the 2008 and 2012 primaries, he has consistently called the drug war a racist program that discriminates against inner-city minorities. In fact, Paul has been reiterating this statement since his Presidential campaign in 1988.

Doctor Ron Paul has stood strong against the international drug war not only in rhetoric, but in voting record. In 2001, Paul voted no on an amendment within H.R. 2586 that would have established a task force on counter-terrorism and drug prohibition and allowed military personnel to patrol our borders. He also voted against the Merida Initiative to Combat Illicit Narcotics and Reduce Organized Crime Authorization Act (H.R. 6028, 2008), which promised financial assistance to Mexico to combat drug trafficking. The presidential hopeful has also commented that our drug policy negatively influences how the federal and state governments handle other international issues.

So you want to end the war on drugs ... what now? Well, Paul would suggest that the first (and only!) thing for the federal government to do is to relieve itself of any legislative authority. Then the states can assume authority over drug legislation. And as discerning Points readers no doubt are aware, Paul has argued that it is not particularly necessary for states to prohibit drug use. In the 2011 South Carolina debate, Paul commented that American citizens do not need the government to tell them not to do drugs like heroin, because most of them would not engage in such activity even if it was legal.

Again, Paul's record accords with his campaign positions. Concerning the legalization of marijuana at the federal level, in 2005 Paul sponsored and introduced legislation (H.R. 3037) that would amend the Controlled Substances Act by disaggregating industrial hemp from "marijuana" and thus allowing the states to regulate hemp farming. To the dismay of Woody Harrelson and other hemp advocates, the resolution was cleared from the books after sitting stagnant for some time in the House Subcommittee on Health. In addition to supporting hemp, Paul also believes in legalizing medical and recreational marijuana. In 2001, he co-sponsored the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act (H.R. 2592) with Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.). The Paul-Frank partnership continued into 2008 when they co-sponsored the Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults (H.R. 5843), which also failed to move out of Congressional committees. Furthermore, Paul has criticized the current treatment of medical marijuana facilities by the federal government, specifically speaking out against federal raids of medical marijuana dispensaries. These he has called unconstitutional, and has pledges that he will refuse to authorize them when he is president. And all of this is a matter of political principle: While Paul is an ardent supporter of the legalization of marijuana, he has never engaged in the illicit activity.