Letter: Drug war threatens democracy

Regarding your May 27 editorial, the latest drug war exemption to the Constitution handed down by the Supreme Court won't win the war on some drugs. The steady rise in drug-sniffing dogs in schools, warrantless police searches, and random drug testing have led to a loss of civil liberties in America, while failing miserably at preventing drug use.

Based on findings that criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents, a majority of European Union countries have decriminalized marijuana. Despite marijuana prohibition, lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the United States than any European country.

The drug war threatens the integrity of a country founded on the concept of limited government. It's not possible to wage a moralistic war against consensual vices unless privacy is completely eliminated, along with the U.S. Constitution. America can either be a free country or a "drug-free" country, but not both.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy