An organization of law enforcers on Tuesday–the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition–called for legalization and government regulation of drugs. “By learning a lesson from American history and ending today's expensive and counterproductive prohibition of drugs like we ended the earlier prohibition of alcohol, we can cut wasteful spending and generate new revenues, all while making America's streets safer,” said Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. “A legal and regulated drug trade will lead to far fewer people being arrested and incarcerated at taxpayer expense and will generate essential new revenues, some of which can be earmarked to finance improved drug treatment and recovery.”
The group said, “After spending a trillion tax dollars and making 39 million arrests for nonviolent drug offenses, drugs are now generally cheaper, more potent and easier for our children to access than they were 40 years ago at the beginning of the ‘drug war.'” LEAP describes itself as a 10,000-member organization started by police, prosecutors, judges, FBI/DEA agents, corrections officials, military and others who fought on the front lines of the “war on drugs.” The web links leads to the groups report at the website www.copssaylegalizedrugs.com.