Statistics on the War on Drugs and What Prohibition Gets Us, Remember that Religions (Opium of the People) Push Prohibition

The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law for nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase in crime in this country is closely connected with this." -Albert Einstein

• Each year the United States spends 350 billion dollars on the war on drugs. • On any given day in the United States, 1 in 9 African American males between the ages of 20 and 34 is incarcerated. • Mexico declares war on drug cartels in December of 2006 (BBC) 1. 2006: 270 drug-related deaths 2. 2009: 16,337 drug-related deaths • Judge Jim Gray (Reason TV) - In 1990 we were only half as successful in prosecuting homicides as we were in 1980 due to the Reagan administration ratcheting up the drug war. This due to prosecutorial resources being devoted to drug related "offenses". - In Holland marijuana use is legal for everyone 16 and older. Coffee shops include marijuana. The minister of health recently held a press conference in which he stated that marijuana use within his country was half that of the United States both for adults and teenagers. He claimed that they had succeeded in making pot "boring". • Drug offenders in prisons and jails have increased 1,100% since 1980. Nearly 6 in 10 persons in prison for a drug offense have no history of violence or high-level drug selling activity (not that it would be a problem. Just a fact. / November Coalition) • According to the UN, drug prohibition has seen increases in the use of opiates, cocaine and marijuana to the effect of -Opiates 34% -Cocaine 27% -Marijuana 8.5% (Worldwide presumably. CNN) • Prison Population (BBC) -United States: 2,193,798 -China: 1,548,498 (overall population 1,344,130,000) -Russia: 874,161 -Brazil: 371,482 • According to DEA: (Google Tech Talks) -4 million drug users in 1965 (2% of overall population) -112 million drug users in 2003 (46% of overall population) • Wholesale cocaine costs 60% less / Heroin costs 70% less (Google Tech Talks) • Heroin overdose rate: (Google Tech Talks) - 1979 = 28 deaths per 100,000 users - 2003 = 141 deaths per 100,000 users • Approximately $30,000 per year per inmate • 39 Million drug arrests under drug prohibition • 1914 = 1.3% addicted to drugs/ 2002 = 1.3% addicted to drugs (Google Tech Talks) • % of crimes resolved by arrest or other means (Google tech talks) - 1965: Murders 91% - 2006: Murders 60.7%, Forcible rape 40.9%, Robbery 25.2%, Aggravated Assault 54.0%, Burglary 12.6%, Larceny-theft 17.4%, Motor vehicle theft 12.6% • Decriminalized Drugs 1. Netherlands 1976 2. Portugal 2001 3. Mexico 2009 4. Argentina 2009 • Marijuana use by tenth graders in the Netherlands: 28% / Marijuana use by tenth graders in the United States 41% (Google Tech Talks) • Marijuana use: U.S. lifetime prevalence = 37% / Netherlands = 17% (Google Tech Talks) • Heroin Use: U.S. lifetime prevalence = 1.4% / Netherlands = 0.4% (Google Tech Talks) • After decriminalization, Portugal drug use by ages 13-15 decreased by 25%/ 16-19 decreased by 22% - Heroin overdose deaths decreased by 52% - HIV infections reported by drug users decreased by 71% (Google Tech Talks) • Netherlands homicide rate per 100,00 population: 1.5/ U.S. homicide rate per 100,00 population 5.6 (Google Tech Talks)