America's "war on drugs" has led to the "Land of the Free" having the highest rate of imprisonment in the world. Higher than Russia, higher than China, higher than Saudi Arabia. Higher than every other country in the world. We also have more lawyers than the rest of the world combined. I doubt this is a coincidence.

You can have a free society or you can have a nanny state. You can't have both. Politicians can have all the legal and social theories they like, but if my neighbor is minding their own business then my business ends at their doorstep. And if it isn't my business then it isn't my government's business either. Period. That having been said, let me add that if you're doing something detrimental to people too young to know better, I would give a thought to throwing the switch on you myself. But though it's a stronger and brighter line than we have the wisdom to properly draw, people have to grow up sometime.

Another skirmish in the drug war-
"Threats come next. The lawmen tell Siler they will jail his wife and have his children taken away from him. The transcript details more beating sounds, more moaning from Siler, who repeatedly asks to talk to Webber. "You ain't talking to nobody," Green responds. "You're gonna sign this (expletive) paper."

Siler screams. More blows are heard. The lawmen continue to order Siler to sign. He responds with moans and more screams. But there would be no reprieve. "Eugene, it's just beginning, buddy," Webber says. Siler is going to die, the officers tell him ...

Siler is next threatened with electrocution. Webber tells him that they could take a battery charger, hook some wires to it and attach it to Siler's testicles. The federal informants allege that the lawmen later rigged up such a device and used clamps to attach it to Siler's body ..."

And if you think this is an exaggeration, listen to the recording.

How could the drugs that are now illegal in our country have been legal for most of our country's history, how could America's founders have abdicated their responsibility for punishing "crimes" which modern politicians now claim warrant years of imprisonment and in some cases even death? Were the founders irresponsible men, or of dubious moral character? Are modern politicians significantly better? Indeed, it's widely known that George Washington grew hemp. Lots of it. Perhaps enough to get him life in prison now.

The truth is that federal drug prohibition is unconstitutional on its face. The government has no legitimate authority to pursue any such sweeping social program, and in fact there once was a time when respect for the law was such that federal drug prohibition required a Constitutional amendment authorizing it. That amendment, which provided for a federal ban on alcohol, was rescinded after 13 disastrous years. Unfortunately, no such remedy is possible for the current drug war, since it was never Constitutionally authorized to begin with.

I personally came within some distance of becoming a victim of the drug war following the conclusion of a traffic stop shortly after moving to Greenville, when I was "asked for permission" to search my vehicle. Not realizing I was in a Constitution free zone, I declined. During the course of my subsequent imprisonment I was at one point in some fear for my life when one of my fellow prisoners, a tall individual involved in a knife attack, began shrieking his intention to kill everyone of my particular race, of which I happened to be the only representative in the cell at the time. All this was, needless to say, a wide an unexpected departure from my original plan to have coffee in town. I was eventually freed that evening and the tickets subsequently dismissed. The record of my arrest, which state law specifies be destroyed, still exists. My pursuit of redress in federal court proved useless. It seems the law holds little real significance for many government employees. And the drug war is in large measure their blank check.

Here's the truth about the drug war-
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others ... the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races." -Harry J. Anslinger, head of the US Bureau of Narcotics, testifying before the US Senate in 1937

Your tax dollars at work.

And here's a good article on the drug war.