Issue Position: War on Drugs

Issue Position

Prevention not Punishment

The War on Drugs is a waste of resources. Since 1971, the U.S. has spent $1 trillion with little to show for it. We spend more money on incarcerating people than we do on public schools. More than half a million people behind bars are serving time for violating drug laws. Non-violent drug use should be treated as a public health problem, not a criminal offense. Drug overdoses now cause more deaths per day than car crashes. Nationwide, heroin overdoses have quadrupled since 2000. We are seeing a rise in the number of deaths from heroin overdoses right here in the Eighth District. The money we use to punish drug offenders can be put to better use.

We need prevention programs and treatment centers so that people get the help they need. Drug treatment should be required in every federal prison, and it should be a requirement for every jurisdiction that receives assistance from the federal government for prisons and jails.

65% of prisoners today meet the qualifications for substance abuse and addiction, but few receive help. A report by the Pew Research Center in 2014 found that 67% of Americans want to provide treatment for drug users. Carroll County already has a drug treatment court instead of jail time. Over 100 people have received help. Programs in other countries have greatly reduced the number of drug users. Switzerland provides clean needles and medication to individuals who struggle with addiction, and their crime rates and overdose deaths have dropped significantly. There's no need to raise more money. We can transfer the money saved by reducing incarceration into funds for drug treatment.

We should decriminalize small amounts of marijuana possession. 88% of marijuana arrests are for possession. In 2010, states spent $3.6 billion on marijuana law enforcement. We can use those resources to actually help people who need it. We should also allow marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes.

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