1 law enforcement against prohibition jack a. cole executive director (781) 393-6985...

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The Many Faces of Jack ColeThe Many Faces of Jack Cole

19641964

197019701973197319771977

19821982

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DEA Briefing Book 2001DEA Briefing Book 2001

1970 1.5 %$6.00

$0.80 38 %

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DEA Staffing and AppropriationsDEA Staffing and AppropriationsFY 1973-2000FY 1973-2000

YearYearTotal Total

EmployeesEmployeesSpecial Special AgentsAgents

Support Support StaffStaff

BudgetBudget($ in Millions)($ in Millions)

19731973 2,8982,898 1,4701,470 1,4281,428 74.974.9

20012001 9,1329,132 4,5614,561 4,5714,571 1,5501,550

Employees-3 times as manyEmployees-3 times as many

Budget-20 times largerBudget-20 times larger

Marijuana Arrests and Total Drug Arrests in the US

YearTotal Drug

Arrests

Total Marijuana

Arrests

Marijuana Trafficking/Sal

e Arrests

Marijuana Possession Arrests

2000 1,579,566 734,497 84,271 620,541

1999 1,532,200 704,812 84,271 620,541

1998 1,559,100 682,885 84,191 598,694

1995 1,476,100 588,964 85,614 503,350

1990 1,089,500 326,850 66,460 260,390

1980 580,900 401,982 63,318 338,664

Total Drug ArrestsTotal Drug Arrestsper year Tripledper year Tripled

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Metro SectionMetro Section February 5 1994, page 23February 5 1994, page 23

The New York TimesThe New York Times

Nancy Siesel/The New York Times

Cocaine Seized in Industrial Machine Imported from Venezuela

The police and Federal authorities recovered 4,800 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of up to $350 million, and arrested four men unpacking the drugs at a warehouse in the Corona section of Queens. Police officers and agents from the United States Customs Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration strained to load the drugs into a truck.

4,800 pounds of cocaine4,800 pounds of cocaine

Street value of $350 millionStreet value of $350 million

Not worthy of an article!Not worthy of an article!

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Drug seizures in 1994Drug seizures in 1994New York Times, July 15, 1994, B3New York Times, July 15, 1994, B3

Three tonsThree tons of cocaine hidden in of cocaine hidden in cargo at the Port of Newark cargo at the Port of Newark

Federal agents recovered Federal agents recovered five tonsfive tons of cocaine in Houston in May, of cocaine in Houston in May,

three tonsthree tons in San Francisco in June in San Francisco in June and and five more tonsfive more tons in El Paso in in El Paso in

July.July.

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How Has Prohibition ChangedHow Has Prohibition ChangedDrug Use in US Schools?Drug Use in US Schools?

““THIS SURVEY confirms that THIS SURVEY confirms that our drug-prevention efforts are our drug-prevention efforts are working and that when we work working and that when we work together and push back, the drug together and push back, the drug problem gets smaller.”problem gets smaller.”

US Drug Czar John WaltersUS Drug Czar John Walters

Monitoring the Future 2002Monitoring the Future 2002

An ongoing study of the behaviors, An ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American attitudes, and values of American

secondary school students, college students, secondary school students, college students, and young adultsand young adults

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Between 1991 and 2002 Between 1991 and 2002 marijuana usemarijuana use among among students in all school students in all school

gradesgrades increased.increased.

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30 % increase30 % increase forfor

12th graders12th graders

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13




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School children report it School children report it is easier to buy illegal is easier to buy illegal drugs than it is to buy drugs than it is to buy

beer or cigarettesbeer or cigarettes

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International Trade in International Trade in Illicit DrugsIllicit Drugs

Annually generates:Annually generates:

$400 billion$400 billion

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Alternative Policy SolutionAlternative Policy Solution

Remove the Remove the profit motiveprofit motive

continuously enhanced for 30 years by thecontinuously enhanced for 30 years by the

United States policy of aUnited States policy of a

WAR ON DRUGSWAR ON DRUGS

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End ProhibitionEnd Prohibition1. Legalize Drugs1. Legalize Drugs

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Won’t legalization cause Won’t legalization cause everyone to use drugs?everyone to use drugs?

10th graders in Holland who have tried marijuana:

28 %28 %1010thth graders in the graders in the

U.S. who have U.S. who have tried marijuana:tried marijuana:41 %41 %

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Outcomes ofOutcomes ofLegalizationLegalization

1.6 million less people 1.6 million less people arrested each year arrested each year

69 Billion Dollars saved 69 Billion Dollars saved each yeareach year

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End ProhibitionEnd Prohibition1. Legalize Drugs1. Legalize Drugs

2. Have the federal 2. Have the federal government produce government produce

those drugsthose drugs

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Outcomes ofOutcomes ofGovernment ProductionGovernment Production

•Quality controlled Quality controlled production for purityproduction for purity

•Standardized Standardized measurement and potencymeasurement and potency

•End of overdosesEnd of overdoses

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1. 1. Legalize DrugsLegalize Drugs2. Government production2. Government production

3. Distribute free maintenance doses of

drugs to any adult requesting them

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Results of treating heroin Results of treating heroin addiction with heroinaddiction with heroin

SwitzerlandSwitzerlandandand

HollandHolland

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Results of treating heroin Results of treating heroin addiction with heroinaddiction with heroin

Full-time Employment Full-time Employment more than doubled,more than doubled,from 14% to 32%from 14% to 32%

Crime was cut Crime was cut by 60%by 60%

Cocaine use among the Cocaine use among the addicts plummeted from addicts plummeted from

35% to 5%35% to 5%

Unstable housing Unstable housing situations dropped by situations dropped by

nearly 2/3rdsnearly 2/3rds

from 49 to 21%from 49 to 21%

Homelessness Homelessness dropped from dropped from 12 % to ZERO12 % to ZERO

Drug-caused deaths dropped 34 %

between 2001 & 2002

Unemployment was Unemployment was cut in half,cut in half,

from 44% to 22%from 44% to 22%

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Outcomes ofOutcomes ofFree Governmental DistributionFree Governmental Distribution

•No profit motive for drug distributionNo profit motive for drug distribution•No individuals selling drugsNo individuals selling drugs•No crimes committed to obtain drugsNo crimes committed to obtain drugs•No criminal association for drug users No criminal association for drug users •No diseases passed by sharing needlesNo diseases passed by sharing needles•Users able to stabilize their addictionsUsers able to stabilize their addictions

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Outcomes ofOutcomes ofLegalization and free distributionLegalization and free distribution

•No shootings of dealers by other dealersNo shootings of dealers by other dealers•No kids caught in crossfireNo kids caught in crossfire

•No police killed fighting drug warNo police killed fighting drug war•No one killed by police in the drug warNo one killed by police in the drug war•No advertisement to further drug useNo advertisement to further drug use•No one soliciting one more drug userNo one soliciting one more drug user

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1. 1. Legalize DrugsLegalize Drugs2. Government production2. Government production3. Distribute free doses3. Distribute free doses

4. Redirect money saved to 4. Redirect money saved to programs that offer people programs that offer people

hope for the futurehope for the future

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Programs offering hopePrograms offering hope

Rehabilitation Rehabilitation CentersCenters

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Programs offering hopePrograms offering hopeGuaranteed MinimumsGuaranteed Minimums

Housing -Housing -

Health Care -Health Care -

Education -Education -

Job TrainingJob Training

EmploymentEmployment

Livable WagesLivable Wages

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Results of offering people Results of offering people hope for the futurehope for the future

Less need to use drugsLess need to use drugs

Less drug addictsLess drug addicts

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3. Distribute free doses3. Distribute free doses4.4. Create hope for the future Create hope for the future

5. Redirect money saved 5. Redirect money saved to programs that offer true to programs that offer true

education about drugseducation about drugs

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Does Education Work?Does Education Work?

1965196541.9 %41.9 % of the adult of the adult

US population US population smoked tobaccosmoked tobacco

19981998Only Only 24%24% of the adult of the adult

US population US population smoked tobaccosmoked tobacco

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3. Distribute free doses3. Distribute free doses

4. Create hope for the future4. Create hope for the future

5. Educate users and public5. Educate users and public

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

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

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Prohibition - When will we learn?Prohibition - When will we learn?

Members of the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform pose for a photograph in 1932 (courtesy of the Hagly Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware). We are having to relearn the same lesson today that they learned 69 years ago.

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Does Drugs or Drug Prohibition Does Drugs or Drug Prohibition cause crime?cause crime?

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Outcomes ofOutcomes ofLegalizationLegalization

Lower InstitutionalizedLower InstitutionalizedRacism in theRacism in the

Criminal Justice SystemCriminal Justice System

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Federal Household SurveyFederal Household Survey

Whites constitute Whites constitute 72% of all drug 72% of all drug users in the USusers in the US

Blacks constitute Blacks constitute 15% of all drug 15% of all drug users in the USusers in the US

But 37% of those But 37% of those arrested for drug arrested for drug

violations are Blackviolations are Black

Over 42% of Over 42% of those in those in

federal prisons federal prisons for drug for drug

violationsviolations are are blackblack

African-Americans African-Americans comprise almost comprise almost 60% of those in 60% of those in state prisons for state prisons for

drug feloniesdrug felonies

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Bureau of Justice StatisticsBureau of Justice Statistics

Punishment is 100 Punishment is 100 times worse for times worse for Crack than for Crack than for

powder cocainepowder cocaine

DisenfranchisementDisenfranchisementOver 10% of the total voting Over 10% of the total voting

population of black men have population of black men have lost their right to vote due to lost their right to vote due to

felony convictions.felony convictions.

Black male born Black male born today has a one in today has a one in

four chance of four chance of serving time in serving time in

prisonprison

Of convicted defendantsOf convicted defendants 33% of whites received a 33% of whites received a

prison sentenceprison sentence 51% of African-Americans 51% of African-Americans received prison sentences received prison sentences

In New York State prisons Nine in 10 of those serving

mandatory sentences for drug offenses are black or Latino

1 law enforcement against prohibition jack a. cole executive director (781) 393-6985...

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