Fear is the tool of policymakers and advocates for many causes in our country.  Whether it is influencing people that electric garage doors kill children or that all cars should have airbags when an issue is brought to the fore in our society, fear is used to convince people that something must be done federally to right the wrong otherwise Western Civilization as we know it will vanish.  The Drug War is no different.  Statements are made by drug warriors to convince Americans that they must be given the authority to fight this crusade otherwise society will face dire consequences.  However, upon closer scrutiny, the claims made are more false then they are true.

Take the assertion that illegal drugs – marijuana, cocaine, and heroin, are big killers in the U.S.  The actual numbers say otherwise.  In a typical year, about 2,200 people die from cocaine related use.  Heroin claims the lives of 2,000 people annually and there has never been a recorded death attributed to marijuana use in the history of the U.S.  Of course, these deaths are related to direct use of the drugs and not inclusive of the violent crime attributed to them because of the Drug War.  Still, the numbers are very low compared to the rhetoric that illegal drugs kill big time.  Further, compare these puny numbers against 440,000 tobacco deaths and 80,000 alcohol fatalities and it is clear from a statist point of view that perhaps the federal government has banned the wrong substances.

Then, there is the misinformation that individuals who use marijuana or cocaine are more prone to violent behavior.  Through various studies alcohol is the only psychosocial substance that has been found to commonly increase aggression in those that consume it.  Think about it, we have all heard about the violent drunk, but has anyone ever heard of a violent stoner?  Violence is linked to illegal drugs primarily through drug deals gone bad, fighting over territory, and property crimes committed to raise drug money.  This is violence not caused by the consumption of illegal drugs, but caused because the drugs are illegal in the first place.  If we ended the War on Drugs then almost all violence related to illegal drugs would disappear.

Lastly, there is the claim that without strong drug laws our society would become a collection of dope fiends and drug addicts.  Well, alcohol is legal and the U.S. has not become a society of drunkards and loafers.  There is evidence that the forbidden fruit theory has had a negative effect on drug use in the U.S.  That is, because drugs are illegal more people use them here.  The World Health Organization conducted a survey of 17 countries and found that the U.S. had the highest rates of marijuana and cocaine use.  42.4 percent of respondents in the U.S. admitted having used marijuana; the results were similar for cocaine with the U.S. leading the world by large margins for both drugs.  By comparison, in the Netherlands, where possessing and using small amounts of pot is legal, only 19.8 percent of respondents have used marijuana.  So, the U.S. which has some of the most punitive drug laws leads in drug users compared to the Netherlands which has a much more lenient approach to drugs.  This seems to refute the drug warriors’ claim that we need tough drug laws to prevent society from becoming overrun by drug users.

The next time politicians and advocates for the Drug War grandstand about more reasons for its existence, Americans need to be cynical and check the facts.  Chances are, like killer electric garage doors and lifesaving airbags, the reasons are just more examples of fear tactics to legitimate their cause.  

Kenn Jacobine teaches History and English for the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia.  Send him email at lovesliberty@gmail.com.