Five Ways the Drug War Hurts Kids: A Conversation with Neill Franklin of LEAP

Commentators like Bill O'Reilly claim that ending the drug war would lead to more children being abused by drug-addicted parents. But 33-year law enforcement veteran Neill Franklin sees it differently.

"These drugs in an illegal environment are more accessible to our kids," says Franklin, who serves as Executive Director Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, "because we leave complete control, regulation, and standards up to the criminals."

Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with Franklin to discuss how battling drug dealers in Baltimore turned him against the war on drugs and why ending prohibition would improve safety for children, as well as the rest of us.

Approximately 8.2 minutes.

Interview by Ted Balaker. Shot by Alex Manning and Paul Detrick. Edited by Hawk Jensen and Sam Corcos.

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[JamSession37]

The cops can't even keep drugs out of the jails, lets realize prohibition is making things worse and not better and deal with it sensibly. A non-violent person in possesion of a bag of pot does NOT need to be sent to prison.

[ekeyra]

I think most of you miss the point anyway. Its not about only legalizing cannibus and leaving the "dangerous" drugs illegal. Its about whether or not you have the decision to put whatever you want into your own body, and ultimately whether or not you are in control of your own mind. Alchohol kills more people than every illicit substance combined, and last i checked it was a disaster when we tried to make it illegal.

[stonethugmusic]

VERY INTERESTING SHOW SIR ". AND GOOD JOB "

[Xenkenito]

@ekeyra yeah, damn near sparked a civil war is what alcohol prohibition did. The reason prohibition of cannabis doesn't cause a civil war is because pot heads are generally less violent than alcoholics. Also, I think pot makes people smarter. They gain certain deep insights about being. Alcohol numbs all insight and numbs all care. Deep insight is dangerous to a boldly corrupt system.

[oldreamachine67]

It's not about the drugs, think about relieving the pain caused and damage to children's lives.

There is more tax money spent on the corrections system in the state of michigan than anything else, when we the education level of our citizens is raised that is when our economy will return. Obviously the countries that are smartest will grow as they adapt to what happens.

[oldreamachine67]

Just think of how much pain the children are in, and we wonder why there are so many mentally ill people that did nothing wrong but they are treated as if or rather feel as if they did something hence not learning how to enjoy anything in life.

[sunset261]

@leecfb000 Alcohol-related violence is high because alcohol is known to make many people more aggressive. Why is alcohol available? Because prohibition didn't work. Then people got alcohol just as easily as they did before it became illegal. people could go to a speakeasy joint to get their alcohol. The same goes today. Illegalizing it doesn't reduce the usage by a significant enough amount. The only thing it truly does is put the dealers in control of regulation rather than the government.

[sunset261]

I think the best thing we can do is educate people about the effects of various drugs. We do that and even then, some turn to drugs. these people are going to get their drugs one way or another and the only thing that is truly going to stop people from getting their drugs is themselves. In this drug war, if a dealer is arrested or killed, that won't stop people, they'll find another dealer whose prices will be raised as a result. That means more money flowing out of our economy.

[marijuananation722]

@FRSFreeStateNow I'm a marijuana smoker. I love my plants. I love them more than I love women because unlike women, marijuana never hurts me and always gets me happy. FUCK THE DEA. I say we meet them with armed resistance. I have no more fear. I truely am liberated.

[marijuananation722]

In this drug war, we the users and dealers are the jews. Nazi America, I hope your proud.

[Believer977]

@leecfb000 Illegal drugs are almost as available as alcohol but not quite as much so that will definitely make a difference. Aside from availability, the effects of the substance itself should be taken into account. Marijuana or MDMA do not even occasionally cause users to initiate violence, while alcohol and methamphetamine consistently do so.