Pubdate: Tue, 28 Feb 2012
Source: University Star (Texas State University - San Marcos, Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The University Star
Contact:  http://www.star.txstate.edu
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4256
Author: Mark Wilson

SPEAKER PRESENTS ARGUMENT AGAINST DRUG PROHIBITION

A retired narcotics detective led students in a brief Q-and-A
following a speech on America's "failed" drug war Thursday night.

Russ Jones, ex-narcotics detective, speaks Feb. 23 at the Students for
Liberty meeting regarding the United States' "failed" drug war.

Russ Jones has been employed across the world as a drug expert. After
fighting against drugs for the majority of his career, he now speaks
against their prohibition.

Jones said after being honorably discharged from the military in 1970,
he became a police officer.

"As a police officer on the streets, drugs were not a problem," he
said.

Jones said gangs and organized crime groups who focus on the
distribution of drugs did not exist during his early career. He said
senior officers advised him to simply deliver a slap on the wrist to
those caught smoking marijuana and tell them not to do it again.

"That was about the time Nixon declared the war on drugs," he
said.

Jones became a detective, uncovering and infiltrating criminal groups
including La Nuestra Familia and the Hells Angels, who are known for
distribution of Methamphetamine.

Jones had so much success that he was invited to countries such as
Russia and China to lend a hand with drug issues there.

However, he said that by 1980, just 10 years later, the drug war had
failed by every measurable standard.

"Drugs were cheaper, stronger, more plentiful and more people were
using them," he said.

Jones said drug prohibition is no different than alcohol prohibition,
a time during which people were driven to very hard liquor with a
higher concentration of alcohol.

Jones said when substances are illegal they are often transported and
shipped in their most potent form due to the large risks taken by
suppliers. What ends up on the streets is extremely powerful.

As a result, people are switching from cocaine to crack and
amphetamine to methamphetamine.

Jones is not alone in his negative view on the war on drugs, but said
the only real hope for change will come in the form of a grassroots
movement due to the political liability of coming out against the drug
war.

Some politicians and states have taken steps to reduce the penalties
for those caught using drugs such as marijuana. Jones, however, said
this "decriminalization" of drugs, a term he does not like to use,
only propagates the same problems encountered today.

He said without legalization and taxation, however low the penalties
are, the drug trade remains in the hands of cartels and criminals,
which leads to violence and criminal activity.

"There are no street gangs today selling batches of gin on our street
corners. There are no street gangs today hiring kids to run tobacco
from one street corner to the other," he said. "When is the last time
you heard of a drive-by shooting between Bud light and Coors?"

Andrew Kaluza, University of Texas-San Antonio student, made the drive
from San Antonio to hear Jones speak.

Kaluza said that members of his family are involved in law enforcement
entities targeted at drugs.

"I am vehemently against prohibition," he said. "Coming from a family
with members in the DEA, border patrol, and a lot of other prohibiting
law enforcement wings, I have a hard time at Thanksgiving getting
together and talking about this. I find it highly immoral."

Jones said the officers of prohibitive organizations are simply
enforcing the law as it written, but the problem is the laws are flawed.

Peter Dirks, president of Texas State's Young Americans for Liberty,
said their group worked hand in hand with the National Organization
for the Reform of Marijuana Laws to bring Jones to speak at Texas State.

Dirks said that the majority of people incarcerated today are doing
time for nonviolent drug offenses.

"I believe in individual rights," he said. "The government should only
exist to protect someone else from harm."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt