SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES WAR ON DRUGS

Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance,
presented a passionate speech entitled "Building a Political Movement
to End the War on Drugs" in the Berger Atrium of Myron Taylor Hall on
Saturday afternoon. Nadelmann's speech was the keynote address of the
Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy's symposium, "The Latest
Developments in the War on Drugs."

In his introduction, Noah Mamber law '06 called Nadelmann the "point
man for drug policy reform" in the United States. The alliance for
drug policy reform has been growing because of the connection between
social libertarians who believe that the government should not
control what an adult is putting in their own body and conservatives
who see the roughly $12 billion being spent on keeping the country
clean of drugs as extravagant. Notable members of the conservative
establishment such as William F. Buckley, founder of National Review
magazine, have supported the Drug Policy Alliance.

Nadelmann and the Drug Policy Alliance advocate the decriminalization
of certain drugs and are pushing for an end to the war on drugs
because of its racist nature, the detrimental effect on the fight
against HIV/AIDS and the burgeoning prison population in the United States.

"There are a lot of black and brown kids who are caught up in jail
because of buying and selling of drugs," Nadelmann said. "But how
many 'good' white kids go to prestigious colleges and make some money
by selling drugs?"

African-Americans make up only 12.2 percent of the nation and 13
percent of drug users in the United States, according to the Drug
Policy Alliance's website. Nevertheless, 38 percent of those arrested
and 59 percent convicted for drug related charges are
African-American. Nadelmann and others have called these statistics
examples of the "New Jim Crow" facing our nation.

The link between the war on drugs and the spread of HIV and AIDS in
the United States is related to the usage of sterile syringes.
Current laws forbid the distribution of these clean syringes, and the
Drug Policy Alliance argues that this enhances the likelihood of
sharing contaminated needles.

The speech also brought up the large number of incarcerated Americans.

"Treating drugs as a criminal policy issue instead of a health issue
has caused major destruction in our country," said Nadelmann. "The
United States is number one in the world for people incarcerated per
capita, with 2.2 million people behind bars. 400,000 to 500,000
people will sleep in jail tonight because of drug charges, more than
all people incarcerated in all of Western Europe for all crimes."

Roughly 90 percent of the drug offenders in the country have been
nabbed for only possessing the drug.

Nadelmann also focused on the advantages of the legalization of
marijuana by comparing it to the legal substances alcohol and
tobacco. The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution
outlawed alcohol, but after the major backlash, the 21st Amendment
repealed it. Instead, alcohol is heavily taxed and its use is
restricted, for example, to people over 21, and drinking is not
allowed when driving except in small amounts.

In a poll of the roughly 100 people in the Atrium, only two admitted
to still smoking cigarettes. Although the number may have in
actuality been more, Nadelmann claimed that this shows the importance
of educating the public as to substances.

"Tobacco use has decreased over 40 years, not by criminal
prohibition, but by regulation through higher taxes and education
about the health detriments," he explained. "Marijuana should be
treated the same way."

Marijuana becomes a more hotly-debated topic because of its medical
benefits. The American Public Health Association has said that
marijuana has been proven effective in treating nausea, anorexia and
AIDS wasting.

The legalization of marijuana has been rejected by both the Clinton
and Bush administrations and by recent rulings in the Supreme Court.
On the state level though, California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska,
Colorado, Nevada, Maine and Washington, D.C. have approved state
ballot initiatives to legalize medical marijuana.

Nadelmann asserted that it was not the sentiment of the Drug Policy
Alliance that drugs are good or should be used.

"When talking to our kids we say first, do not do drugs. Second, do
not do drugs. Third, if you have done or are doing drugs we want you
to come home safely and learn what these drugs are doing to you.
Members of the Drug Policy Alliance will always say safety first and
preach education," he said.