Republican policies such as formal opposition to gay civil unions and a militant approach to America's drug problems, the failed "War on Drugs", are derived from feelings, and not any logical cost/benefit analysis.

Democrats and Republicans may have different emotional issues, but rest assured, the GOP is no more logical than the Libertarians or Greens are.
Or the World Workers' Party, for that matter.

The War on Drugs has failed?

Quick, let's legalise murder and rape since the Wars against them are far from being won either.

Oh and I wonder of any logical cost\benefit anaylysis takes into consideration the likely impact of a massive drop in the proce of hard drugs stemming from legalisation and how much impact that would have on demand for them.

Mr. Choudhury;

Do you really think that there are many people who want to use recreational pharmaceuticals but can't due to unavailability? I'm more interestedin the impact on violent crime from a drop in price.

I think the stigma of them being illegal is an important deterrent to their potential abuse.

And I think their price is an important factor in keeping their abuse being lower than it could be.

As for the impact on violent crime, I'm distinctly sceptical it would have a positive one. And if there is one, I don't know if it's worth the hordes of opium-eaters that society at large will have to pick up after if legalisation ever happens.

The War on Drugs has not failed. Very few people relative to the general population use illegal drugs, and far fewer people use drugs today than they did during the 1970s. Is that failure?

Vince:

Depends on what you consider "success".

The "war on drugs" was intended to stop illegal drugs from being smuggled into the US, and to stop domestically produced drugs from being sold.

From 1971, when Nixon kicked off the "war", until now, cocaine, crack, marijuans, and methamphetamines have never been cheaper.

The DEA estimates that at best, they find 10% of the drugs being smuggled into the US.

It's easier for high school kids to get marijuana than tobacco cigarettes.
No person in the US who wants drugs, can't get drugs.
We can't even stop prisoners from getting drugs.

Meanwhile, there are 250,000 people in prison for drug offenses, the vast majority of them non-violent. 60% of Federal prison inmates are there on drug charges, and 20% of state prisoners are in for drug charges. The US now lead the developed nations in number of incarcerated people per-capita.

Between 1989 and 2004, inclusive, the Federal gov't has spent $ 330 billion, (in 2003 dollars), the states at least that much again, possibly double, and in addition, at least $ 200 billion for prison construction to house all of the drug prisoners.

The Apollo space programme resulted in 12 men walking on the Moon, and the total cost beginning with JFK was $ 125 billion (in 2003 dollars).

In the past 15 years alone, the US have spent six times that amount trying to bail out the ocean.

I'd rather have a Moon base, or a Mars base, or a hydrogen economy, any of which could easily have been purchased for what we've spent failing to keep some grass out of li'l Johnny's hands.

M Ali:

Murder and rape are obviously crimes that have victims other than the person committing them.
Further, in the US, the war against violent crime has been going very well, indeed.

If the "war on drugs" had gone as well, it couldn't be called a failure.

Michael:

No, the war on drugs was to re-establish that they were socially unacceptable, thus the focus of the war was "Just Say Nop" rather than any attempt to protect the borders. It's worked admirably in that regard as even a glance at TV or the movies will reveal.

$ 800 billion for "Just Say No" ?

I'd sure like to be your ad agency.

Give me 1% of that, and I could have accomplished anything you think changed for the better.

Sure, the movies of the 70s had a lot more drug references, but rap and hip-hop music today are filled with it, too.

Michael:

The drug war wasn't about stopping young black kids from making it part of their culture, it was about sending them to prison so it wouldn't become part of the wider culture.