Law Enforcement 'Addicted' to Drug Revenue - Norm Stamper

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/10/04/Should_All_Drug_Use_Be_Made_Legal

Norm Stamper, former chief of the Seattle Police Department, argues that law enforcement, and the private industries associated with it, make too much revenue from the prosecution of drug laws to support reform. "I think making profit off the criminal justice system, which deals fundamentally with social justice, is immoral," says Stamper.

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Although the media sporadically reports on major narcotic raids, the general consensus about the war on drugs is that small battles will not win this war. Despite all the money spent on drug enforcement worldwide, illicit drugs are still relatively cheap and widely available. Increasingly drugs are being viewed as a social problem rather than strictly a legal one.

So is it time to rethink traditional approaches to the illegal drug industry? Countries like Portugal and Argentina are forging ahead with drug reforms, but will Australia follow suit?

In this panel from the provocative Festival of Dangerous Ideas the argument is put forward that decriminalization and regulation would be the best solution to addressing the problems associated with drugs. - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Norm Stamper is the former Chief of the Seattle Police Department. He is an advisory board member for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• legalize
• anti
• drug
• war
• laws
• reforms
• illegal
• use
• marijuana
• prohibition
• decriminalized
• pot
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• criminals
• users
• prisoners
• prisons
• profits
• regulation
• regulated
• fora.tv
• foratv
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• norm
• stamper
• seattle
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[HolyRevelation]

It's not like the war on drugs is stopping the drugs, you can still get anything you want.

The system isn't going to change because the dealers/law enforcement like the way the systems working.

The love of money is the root to all evil.

[valhala56]

People have allowed law enforcement, Judges,Prosecutors, DEA agents to have well paid lives on the backs of Scofflaws. ie "Potheads" BTW I am not a pot smoke myself. I just see the futility of 2 million Americans in tax paid prisons, Hundreds of millions spent on law enforcement toys, Drug Helicopters, Fast boats, lots of Glocks for everybody in the agency, travel per diems. Well you get the picture.

We are paying for this and get a negative return for our tax monies.

[jdub94ful]

If drugs were legalized, you'd do away with cartels and lots of unnecessary violence. I can't think of anyone personally who would change their substance habits even if they were legal anyways. It's not like usage would increase so much that the whole world would be strung out in a year.

[MysticBoy91]

Anyone noticed a change up to now? Its 2011, 2 years since this vid was made, Anything different anywhere since then? I´m from Europe, have to say there was some changes in Central Europe... a lot of blabla and some facts... But no real changes...

[elliot325325]

@hotboy3256 think their losin money my friend

[hotboy3256]

i hate these shit i got alot friends going into prison young n when they get out they lost 10 years or more of their life.for small amounts of drugs.The government is making to much money on the war on drugs.its time for a change what we need to do blow some shit up?

[lumeriam]

The poor do drugs to get out of their heads about an unfair monetary system where they are barely eating any nutrition because the only food they can afford is dead and poisoned. How will the rich like to feed their kids the same Walmart or Winco food? Now I find that super bugs are in the poultry AND that Mad Cow is really radiation accumulated in the brain of the cows...as radioactive Prions. Do people realize that Gulf Vets are going mad from Depleted Uranium and that it IS Gulf War Syndrome!

[capone6080]

@hazard2000 Use your head they are talking about the major drug dealers that make millions and import boat or truck loads of the stuff. Not a small town dealer just getting by.

[hazard2000]

this guy is the biggest fuck face in the world, Drug dealers arent bad people at all, Ive never gone into someones house to buy anything and have them try to rob me, drug dealers are the peaceful ones, they just want to be able to pay there bills and do there drugs, However a drug user who needs a fix will smash you the fuck out and rob you over 5$ They say drug dealers are making huge profits, when really, there lucky if they dont have to borrow money to get there next sack

[timoley]

The WAR ON DRUGS bases its legality on laws enacted whose principles are set upon Mosaic Law and not upon the principles of freedom as set down in the Declaration of Independence. The presence of Mosaic Law in Constitutional law is contradictory to the doctrine of Unalienable Rights endowed by our Creator. These "Mosaic laws" such as the laws against drug-users, against prostitutes, against gays or against any kind of harmless behavior are illegal criminalization of political dissent.

[brattness]

@SirWinstonChurchill Ahhh. You again. They said to reduce the price, but add more tax. So basically you will be getting it for the same price as you did before. Why are you so against this proposition? You are like the only guy I have seen on nearly every damn video about legalization with a negative response. Quit trying to fill peoples heads with lies. You sure as hell aren't convincing me. DON'T LISTEN TO THIS FOOL!!!!!