Drug War Victims
Our drug war results in staggeringly tragic losses. Drugs, when abused, can be dangerous, but they are not nearly as lethal as the drug war itself.
In addition to the blights of an imprisoned population, lost rights, broken families, and economic waste, people are dying in this war. No, these are not deaths from drugs, but from prohibition.
It is important to realize that the vast majority of deaths on the drug war simply would not happen without prohibition. When drug dealers fight it out over territory and they or their neighbors are killed in the process, it is a sympton of prohibition, much as when we suffered the scourge of alcohol prohibition many years ago. Prohibition makes violence profitable.
When drug users overdose from tainted drugs, it is the result of prohibition. When they die from overdoses because they were afraid to seek help, it is the result of prohibition.
Increasingly, people are dying because of the tactics of the drug war. Military operations are being conducted on our soil, and collateral damage is inevitable.
When drug task forces dressed in black batter in doors without knocking or announcing themselves, the danger to citizens and police alike is enormous. Sometimes the greatest danger is to (or from) the innocent citizen that understandably believes that they are experiencing a home invasion, and rushes to defend their family and property.
Every now and then, a death happens that is particularly grotesque — that points out the horrific folly of our actions. Drug WarRant has started a page to memorialize these tragedies. Unfortunately, it is a page that will be continually updated.
— “Drug War Victims” —
- DrugWarRant.com, the longest running single-issue blog devoted to drug policy
Join us on Pete's couch.
Send comments, tips,
and suggestions to: Recent Comments
Servetus on The war on drugs expands into new territories: “The15th World Congress on Polyphenols (AKA cannabinoids) is set to convene at “ADEIT ‘Fundación Universitat’, Valencia, Spain, & Online.” On…” Aug 10, 20:25
Servetus on A step toward justice for Breonna Taylor: “Falsified affidavits have long been the sine qua non for drug enforcement. It’s encouraging that this fraud is now gaining…” Aug 5, 21:06
Servetus on The war on drugs expands into new territories: “It’s not only doctors who are legally driven to prioritize their careers over their patients’ healthcare as it’s been with…” Aug 3, 22:02
Servetus on Improbable Anecdotes: “Women are using cannabis to treat adverse perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms: 3-AUG-2022…A new study suggests that it is becoming more…” Aug 3, 18:44
Servetus on Improbable Anecdotes: “CBD is being used successfully in treating treatment-resistant anxiety in young people: 3-AUG-2022…The Cannabidiol Youth Anxiety Pilot Study found that…” Aug 3, 18:21
darkcycle on Improbable Anecdotes: “We have thousands of years experience….hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of users, worldwide…over that extended period of time…and Ethan found…” Aug 1, 12:56
NorCalNative on Improbable Anecdotes: “darkcycle, based on your comment I suspect you haven’t listened to the Ethan Russo interview at Project CBD. Project CBD/Resources/Video/Ethan…” Jul 31, 15:11
darkcycle on Improbable Anecdotes: “Three. As in more than two…wait. Not even three, two. The other case they “appreciated” the use of cannabis, while…” Jul 31, 13:20
Pages
- About
- Articles
- A Day at the Museum
- A story for Thanksgiving (Isidro and Teresa Aviles)
- Andrea Barthwell, caught red-handed
- Andrea Barthwell, Snake Oil Salesman
- Bong Hits 4 Jesus – Supreme Court Case
- DEA Bad Girl Michele Leonhart
- Deep Thoughts About the Drug War
- Drug War Victims
- Drug War Videos
- Drug WarRant Joins SOPA, PIPA Protest
- Hammer Down, Pop Up
- If I were Contrarian-King of the United States
- Increase in Burger Abuse Seen
- Irvin Rosenfeld and the Compassionate IND — Medical Marijuana Proof and Government Lies
- Karen Tandy and the DEA (Can Congress Get a Clue?)
- Len Bias – the death that ushered in two decades of destruction
- Mother and Son
- Patriot Act, Victory Act, Despot Act
- Petition for Correction under the ONDCP Information Quality Guidelines
- Raich v. Ashcroft
- Rand and American Enterprise Institute Studies – Indictments of Federal Drug Policy
- the Drug Czar is Required by Law to Lie
- Treatment Statistics
- Who’s Who in Drug Prohibition
- Why is Marijuana Illegal?
Archives
Authors