Will President Obama dial back or end the failed war on drugs?

[davepc]

I know wholesale legalization is probably off the table, but are there any steps he can take to bring America back from this long held failed policy? I belive its the biggest source of crime and inner city impoverishment, this waging of war against an entire segment of society by another.

[cliffordu]

1. Probably not. None of the American politicians really understand how bad the

laws really are, IMNSHO...

The drug laws have created lots of jobs.

[Schema Thing]

2. I think there is a damn good chance that he will

[Metta]

3. If he's smart and he educates the people first.

That way he won't have those polarizing morans lighting their hair on fire.

[SmileyRose]

4. I don't think he CAN end it.

Politically, taking money away from police and firefighters is not good -- though on second thought, I guess he could use "homeland security" as an excuse to continue high levels of federal funding to the police state.

[davepc]

7. I think the best strategy is to not de-fund the police, but to give them fewer laws to enforce

At the local level as decision makers see that they're giving police money that can be better spent elsewhere, they'll make the decision at the local levels to dial back funding, which will in turn reduce requests for federal money.

I would love to see the DEA greatly reduced with the bulk of their manpower rolled into Homeland Security working customs and immigration.

[XOKCowboy]

10. Give the decision back to the states...

Take the Feds out of the busting pot smokers business. If the states vote to legalize then so be it.

[davepc]

11. Arent AZ and CA leading the way in this?

de-criminalzation.

[tularetom]

5. The war on some drugs is the biggest clusterfuck we ever engaged in

I think worse than Iraq or Nam.

[bluestateguy]

6. I believe he will, but very quietly

Emphasis will shift from punishment and prison to treatment and rehabilitation.

And I also think that these federal raids on states with medicinal marijuana laws will be phased out.

[dkofos]

8. I hope so. The total cost (45+billion) of this clusterfuck is outrageous.

It is definitely money that could be put to better use.

[endless october]

9. my guess is he will end federal raids on medical marijuana

patients and growing facilities.

[Merlot]

12. Somewhere I remember reading that he didn't believe in strict drug laws

it was quite a while ago, maybe when he first became senator. Sorry I don't have a reference.

I'd guess he would put drug enforcement as a very low priority. Let it weaken and die out slowly. You know, kinda like bushco did to FEMA. But this time the results will be better for America.

I would hope he would not veto medical mari legalization.

[mdmc]

13. We are gonna leave that to the GOP

they will "reduce crime" "lower your taxes" and "improve our health care system" by "regulating" America's biggest cash crop. Obama would look like a playa hata trying to crimp the game.