World Leaders, Celebrities, and Law Enforcement Asked UN to End the ‘War on Drugs,’ and Here’s the Outcome

From April 19-21, the General Assembly met at the UN Headquarters in New York to once again address the world drug problem. More than 1000 world leaders, celebrities, law enforcement agents, and various other societal figures signed a letter that was submitted before the session asking the UN to end the failed “War on Drugs.” So, now that it’s over, what was the outcome?

Among those who signed the letter were former presidents and prime ministers of Mexico, Colombia, and the Netherlands, among others. From the US, both Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MASS) signed, as well as various celebrities, including Woody Harrelson and Michael Douglas.

It’s being recognized that society doesn’t respond to government violence and suppression (a fact that has been discovered numerous times throughout history), and the letter bluntly addressed the problems that have resulted from the ‘War on Drugs’:

“The drug control regime that emerged during the last century has proven disastrous for global health, security and human rights. Focused overwhelmingly on criminalization and punishment, it created a vast illicit market that has enriched criminal organizations, corrupted governments, triggered explosive violence, distorted economic markets and undermined basic moral values.”

The letter, in its entirety, which can be found here, is heart-felt and eye-opening. Anyone with a conscience would feel immediately compelled to address the issues raised with a sense of urgency. So, let’s see how it went:

In the draft resolution submitted by the President of the General Assembly:

We recognize that transit States continue to face multifaceted challenges, and reaffirm the continuing need for cooperation and support, including the provision of technical assistance, to, inter alia, enhance their capacities to effectively address and counter the world drug problem, in conformity with the 1988 Convention;

The term “technical assistance” can imply any number of things, including the continued militarization of law enforcement, and surveillance.

We express deep concern at the high price paid by society and by individuals and their families as a result of the world drug problem, and pay special tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives, in particular law enforcement and judicial personnel, and to the health-care and civil society personnel and volunteers who dedicate themselves to countering and addressing this phenomenon;

Seriously? In America, the number of civilians who’ve lost their lives during the ‘War on Drugs’—either by wasting away in a prison or literally dying—is staggering. Looking at deaths alone, the Guardian’s “Counted” project shows that 1138 civilians were killed by police in 2015 (graph below), whereas 129 officers lost their lives in 2015. It must be noted that 32 of those officers died in an automobile/motorcycle accident, 18 died of heart attacks, and 6 died from 911-related illnesses. One out of every one-hundred US citizens is currently behind bars, but sure, let’s pay a “special tribute” to law enforcement and judicial personnel.

It was agreed that drug addiction should be treated as a disease, and that law enforcement and other criminal justice authorities need to “cooperate, within their mandates, in the implementation of comprehensive, integrated and balanced responses to drug abuse and drug use disorders, at all levels of government.” However, when it comes to preventing the spread of disease, such as the use of injecting equipment programs, national authorities have merely been invited to consider such alternatives.

When it comes to insuring the availability of controlled substances to those who use them for medical (e.g. medical marijuana) and scientific purposes, the UN will “consider reviewing” domestic legislation and regulatory and administrative mechanisms that would remove restrictive regulations.

And here comes the key part of the draft resolution: in addressing effective law enforcement and responses to drug-related crime, the document states:

We reiterate our commitment to protecting the safety and assuring the security of individuals, societies and communities by intensifying our efforts to prevent and counter the illicit cultivation, production and manufacture of and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as drug-related crime and violence, through, inter alia, more effective drug-related crime prevention and law enforcement measures…

So basically, not only has nothing changed, they actually plan to “intensify their efforts.” Fantastic. All of a sudden “Trump’s Wall” has gone from comical to ominous, because at the rate we’re going, the majority of American’s are going to be in prison after another 20-years of the ‘War on Drugs.’

The draft resolution continues on for quite a few pages, and let’s just say, it’s full of words. Between the hot air, the key points to take away are that they plan to “strengthen the exchange of information,” “strengthen coordinated border management strategies, as well as the capacity of border control and law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies,” and “maximize the effectiveness of law enforcement measures against organized criminal groups and individuals involved in drug-related crimes.”

It’s clear the higher powers are not yet ready to let go of the tremendous profits their so-called ‘War on Drugs’ has been raking in. So settle in and brace yourselves, world—it looks like things are only going to get worse before they get better.

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