Ron Paul on Drug Legalization

August 26, 1988 http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.... Watch the full interview: http://thefilmarchived.blogspot.com/2010/09/ron-paul-on-running-for-us-presid...

Ron Paul contends that prohibition of drugs is ineffective and advocates ending the War on Drugs.

"Prohibition doesn't work. Prohibition causes crime." He believes that drug abuse should be treated as a medical problem, "We treat alcoholism now as a medical problem and I, as a physician, think we should treat drug addiction as a medical problem and not as a crime." The Constitution does not enumerate or delegate to Congress the authority to ban or regulate drugs in general. He believes the war on drugs is a racist policy against African Americans, who are affected disproportionally.

Paul believes in personal responsibility, but also sees inequity in the current application of drug enforcement laws, noting in 2000, "Many prisoners are non-violent and should be treated as patients with addictions, not as criminals. Irrational mandatory minimal sentences have caused a great deal of harm. We have non-violent drug offenders doing life sentences, and there is no room to incarcerate the rapists and murderers."

When asked about his position on implementing the tenth amendment, Paul explained, "Certain medical procedures and medical choices, I would allow the states to determine that. The state law should prevail not the Federal Government." Speaking specifically about Drug Enforcement Administration raids on medical marijuana clinics Paul said, "They're unconstitutional," and went on to advocate states' rights and personal choice: "You're not being compassionate by taking medical marijuana from someone who's suffering from cancer or AIDS .... People should have freedom of choice. We certainly should respect the law and the law says that states should be able to determine this."

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[13AJJONES]

DRUG WAR = WAR ON US AND OUR FREEDOM.

PATRIOT ACT = ACT ELIMINATING ALL OUR FUNDEMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM.

IT'S LIKE CALLING SLAVERY = FREEDOM .!!

[MrRiceowlex]

It's the only idea. I don't do drugs but I could get anything right now today much more quickly than i could if they were legalized. Illegal drugs fuels the prison industrial complex, and the CIA runs $500 BILLION in drug funds through Wall Street every year. If you need more evidence we're paying $1 MILLION PER SOLDIER AND THEY'RE guarding poppy plants for the production of heroin in Afghanistan..Case Closed WAKE UP AND FIND SOME BALLS PEOPLE...

[leeknivek]

@perdondaris The CRONY-capitalist system keeps the war on drugs going. America is not a capitalist system.

[perdondaris]

The capitalist system keeps the war on drugs going. The government is just a tool of capitalist enterprises.

[Luigi84289]

@MrROTD It will help restore mental function if you have brain damage too.

[Luigi84289]

@perdondaris The Government brings the drugs in then arrests the users.

[Luigi84289]

@MrRiceowlex it's easy as shit to get pot. And that's if you don't grow it.

[perdondaris]

The War on Drugs is a pretty well run capitalist enterprise. Consider all of those for profit prisons, all of the funding for the CIA's mercenary business, helping the corporate oligarchy weed out "troublesome workers". As long as we have capitalism, we will have the War on Drugs. Corporatism is capitalism.

[MrROTD]

@perdondarisn Government should never be involved with what people put in thier bodies ever, example is Cannibis, it's a really effective pain killer and has very little damaging effect on the body unlike prescription drugs that destroy your liver because they are made from Opiates. What happened was the drug companies lobbied to have cannibis made illegal. Cannibis was used for centuries as an effective remedy for all kinds of conditions for years before that.

[MrROTD]

drugs should never be prohibited, as bad as they can be it doesn't matter because the laws promote crime and damage peoples lives. Also it's not the government's business what you put in your body. Marijauna is actually a great pain releiver and it's illegal so that prescription drug companies can sell thier very damaging pian killers derived from Opiates...wtf?

[CrucifiedDionysus]

the only rational choice for president

[streethustla24]

how is this guy not presidant yet?