America Losing the Drug War?
It is the longest war in American history and some who fought in the front lines are calling it a disaster.
The war on drugs started in the 1970s.
Billboards calling for legalization and regulation of illegal drugs are popping up across the area.
Jack Cole spent his career fighting the war on drugs in New Jersey.
For 14 of his 26 year career, he was an undercover narcotics officer.
After retiring, he and other officers realized they were fighting a war that couldn't be won.
"It is a constantly expanding policy disaster," Cole said.
Today Cole is a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, or LEAP, an organization of 11-thousand law enforcement personnel nationwide.
LEAP has made an appearance in Omaha on a billboard at 56th and Maple.
"We want to end drug prohibition just like we ended alcohol prohibition in 1933 because as law enforcement we realize that when we ended that nasty law, the next morning Al Capone and his smuggling buddies were out of business, Cole said. “They were off our streets. They were no longer controlling the market. They were no longer shooting each other They were no longer killing us cops charged with fighting that useless war and they were no longer killing our children caught in crossfire drive by shootings."
Cole says America needs a new strategy.
"We realize if we end the drug prohibition which can only mean one thing — legalized regulation of drugs,” Cole said. “If we do that today, we can take the violence out of the equation."
The message makes sense to Sharon Smith.
"We have a society that is full of legal prescription drugs that are given readily,” Smith said. “The war on drugs absolutely hasn't worked.”
Smith says the messenger is a credible source
"Who would know better, actually? I’m glad to see that, let's hope something happens but I seriously doubt it.”
Cole said ending drug prohibition could save 44 billion dollars annually.
“In that 38 years we spent well over a trillion dollars on the war and all we have to show for all that money we spent is that we're made more than 39 million arrests for non-violent drug offenders and we've put as many of those people in prison as we can," Cole said.
According to Cole, legalization and regulation would take the criminal element out of the drug business.
Then authorities can focus on treating and retraining drug addicts instead of incarcerating them.
