Pubdate: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 Source: Windsor Star (CN ON) Copyright: 2012 The Windsor Star Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/PTv2GKdw Website: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501 Author: Douglas Quan, Postmedia News Cited: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition: http://www.leap.cc/ WAR ON DRUGS A 'FAILURE' A high-profile group of current and former U.S. law enforcement officials has sent a letter to the Harper government with a surprising message: Take it from us, the war on drugs has been a "costly failure." The officials are urging the Canadian government to reconsider mandatory minimum sentences for "minor" marijuana offences under its "tough on-crime bill" and said a better approach would be to legalize marijuana under a policy of taxation and regulation. "We are ... extremely concerned that Canada is implementing mandatory minimum sentencing legislation for minor marijuana-related offences similar to those that have been such costly failures in the United States," the letter reads. "These policies have bankrupted state budgets as limited tax dollars pay to imprison non-violent drug offenders at record rates instead of programs that can actually improve community safety." The letter was signed by more than two dozen current and former judges, police officers, special agents, drug investigators and other members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.