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Retired cop says legalize drugs
04.12.07|The Lantern|Travis Minnear

Former police detective Howard Wooldridge offered students in Page Hall a stern warning Tuesday: It's time for America to reform its drug laws.

Dressed in a beige cowboy hat, jeans and a white T-shirt that read, "Ask Me Why Cops Say Regulate Drugs," Wooldridge spoke in front of nearly 40 people at an event sponsored by The Libertarian Studies Organization and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

He drew from personal experience as an 18-year police veteran near Lansing, Mich., and used government statistics in an attempt to illustrate the damage prohibition has caused to millions of lives. He said former President Richard Nixon's war on drugs has not reduced their use or availability.

"Now we know that after 36 years, the arrest of 35 million Americans (and) an expenditure of a trillion tax dollars... drugs are cheaper and stronger and more available today than ever before. It's a catastrophic failure as policy," he said.

Wooldridge, who works for the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, did not refute the dangers traditionally associated with drugs, such as certain dependencies and death. However, he said the issue is a matter of "personal responsibility." He recommended a system for drugs similar to current laws involving alcohol, such as taxation and the regulation of substances.

Among his reasons for legalization:

- It would allow law enforcement to deal with more serious crime, such as drunk driving.

- Ending prohibition would save American taxpayers more than $70 billion annually.

- Less prison space would be used because people would receive treatment for addiction rather than incarceration.

- Putting drug regulations in the hands of medical professionals and lawmakers would eliminate drug dealers.

- About 75 percent of crime in the United States is somehow traceable to illicit drugs.

Wooldridge said some forms of corruption are also a result of prohibition because law enforcement officers lie to obtain search warrants, which violates the Constitution.

"I was proud to be a police officer and when I raised my right hand (to uphold the law), it meant something," he said.

As a sign of success, Wooldridge referred to Switzerland's drug regulation system, which relies on government-administered treatment to combat addiction, unlike the stiff penalties in this country, he said.

Starting a similar program would not be difficult in the United States, he said. Recent ballot initiatives by Nevada and Colorado to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana show citizens are interested in the idea.

Wooldridge lectured and answered questions for about two hours.

Zach Germaniuk, a junior in English and president of LSO and SSDP, said similar lectures have succeeded in the past because of the program's honest and open format.

"I think that the biggest thing people took away from this was that it's OK to question what you have been taught," he said. "Howard's message spoke a lot about self responsibility. I think that's something that our generation needs to be told."

Mark Verhoff, a senior in geography, said the program was very informative and elected officials could learn a lot from the presentation.

"(Wooldridge) offered a forum where people don't have to censor themselves," he said. "An hour-long discussion here has been worth more than probably most of the talking the politicians have done for the last X amount of years."

Wooldridge finished by telling students it's their responsibility to spread awareness about how America handles its drug prohibition.

"Stay involved, get involved," he said. "It's your future."

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