Andrew Sleeth: End war on drugs

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison insisted he needs more money and manpower to battle narcotics, and the county commissioners gladly handed it over (“Wake set to tackle rise in drug use, trafficking,” Jan. 5 news article).

America is about 25 years past due noticing that its so-called war on drugs is unequivocally unwinnable.

On the other hand, the undeniable and absolute inevitability of warfare is that innocents and combatants on all fronts will die. It is time for a ceasefire. It is time we decriminalize recreational drug use to focus our resources on curbing its criminal repercussions – burglary, larceny, assault, sexual slavery and homicide – wherever they occur.

If fellow adult humans wish to discard their lives in the pointless, self-destructive quest for euphoric highs, then let them if the behavior is of minimal consequence to the broader public. This is the essence of personal responsibility and the ultimate respect paid to free will and self-determination.

Yes, it is a scene painful for an addict’s loved ones to witness, but, on balance, the damage to society as a whole is infinitesimal when compared with the cost and casualties of all-out war.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Andrew Sleeth: End war on drugs."