Failed Drug War

Floor Speech

Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, it's hard to believe that the war on drugs has lasted 40 years. The stories of Americans who have suffered because of the war on drugs continue to flood my in-box. Even veterans who served our country are victims of our senseless drug war.

For instance, Alex from Franklin, Ohio, wrote in to me. Alex is a U.S. Army veteran with chronic pain and muscle spasms due to his service to our country. After returning from his deployment, he was put on opiate muscle relaxers from the VA clinic, which didn't work well for him. Following a friend's recommendation, he tried medical marijuana, and it worked for him. However, he was forced to quit in order to accept a new job, and his pain returned. He returned to the VA over and over again, searching for something to relieve the pain. Their only answer was to prescribe stronger and stronger opiates, far stronger narcotics than marijuana. When that didn't work, he was sent to physical therapists, who didn't have an answer either; but because he lives in a State that doesn't offer access to medical marijuana, he is forced to have a very difficult decision between living with his pain or violating the law.

Another person who wrote in is Bob, from Fulton, Georgia, who wrote me to share the story of his wife, who has suffered from systemic lupus for over 30 years. Lupus has slowly deteriorated her body, destroying her hip joint and shoulders. Multiple doctors have said there is nothing they can do to relieve her pain. During those 3 decades, they have tried all sorts of powerful approved and legal narcotics--to no avail. The only thing that has relieved her pain without side effect and makes her life better is medical marijuana. Again, unfortunately, for Bob and his wife, their State does not have access to medical marijuana like my home State of Colorado does and 14 other States.

Bob ends the story about his wife by saying, ``She is 65 years old and can only look forward to pain and agony.'' I'm sure there are many folks in our country in the same situation. Releasing them from the threat of arrest and incarceration simply for trying to live a pain-free life would be a godsend for these patients and their caregivers.

Is this the reason that we're waging a war on drugs--to ensure that sick people continue to suffer from pain unnecessarily or are driven to buy stronger, more powerful and more addictive narcotics?

Now, there are a lot of views on what a more sensible marijuana policy might look like. My own approach is support for legalization and creating a regulatory system similar to what we have for alcohol and tobacco. We can regulate access, make sure people are not driving under the influence, prevent minors from accessing drugs, tax drugs, and engage in public outreach and education campaigns about the dangers of marijuana.

Taxing and regulating marijuana would save taxpayers billions of dollars and would generate revenue. In fact, each year, the Federal Government spends $8 billion arresting and locking up nonviolent marijuana users--again, not marijuana dealers, not marijuana growers. There is $8 billion spent locking up nonviolent marijuana users. For instance, Alex, the veteran, or Bob's wife in Georgia could very well fall victim to that if they're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Taxing and regulating marijuana would also make our communities safer. Removing marijuana from the criminal market would free up police time so officers can focus on violent crimes, property crimes, people driving under the influence of alcohol or marijuana or any other substance. Tax dollars could be used to incarcerate real criminals who threaten public safety rather than veterans like Alex who are simply using marijuana as a less powerful narcotic alternative to deal with their pain than the opiates that are fully legal under the law and prescribed at the VA.

Instead of reaping these benefits, our country continues to suffer under the failed war on drugs. We need to put an end to this war on drugs, which has caused so much needless suffering. The government should treat its citizens like responsible adults instead of interfering in their lives, and it should offer to help those suffering addiction instead of incarcerating them. The proper front to win the war against narcotics abuse in this country is a health war, not a war of violence. We are losing this war. Addicts continue to suffer needlessly every day. Those who would benefit from medical marijuana are continually forced to violate the law or to live their lives in pain.

We can do better as a Nation. Many States are leading the way, and we at the Federal level need to pursue the direction that has been followed by an increasing number of States, and we need to regulate the use of marijuana in a way that is compassionate, that discourages usage among minors, and we need to make sure that we have a health aspect in dealing with addiction where it exists.

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