Former El Paso city Rep. Beto O’Rourke and city Rep. Susie Byrd’s book offers a new argument to end the prohibition of marijuana
The whole article is here.
Two prominent El Paso political leaders argue, in their new book, that the United States’ war on drugs is not working despite a $1 trillion infusion of federal money over the past 40 years.
Former city Rep. Beto O’Rourke and city Rep. Susie Byrd co-authored the recently published book, “Dealing Death and Drugs.” The book is billed as “an argument to end the prohibition of marijuana.”
The authors contend the only rational alternative to the multi-billion dollar war on drugs is to end the present prohibition on marijuana.
“We offer a well-argued policy alternative,” O’Rourke said. “If the marijuana market were controlled and regulated, you would have a much better chance of controlling who would have access to that.”
The book is being applauded in some circles as an important document that contributes to the ongoing dialogue on whether marijuana should be legalized and what can be done to hurt Mexican drug cartels and reduce the cartel violence in Juárez and across Mexico.
[…]
“Literature on the subject of the black market in illicit drugs will serve to further raise awareness in the public that it is the prohibition of marijuana which is fueling the violence and death, not the drug itself,” [Josh Schimberg, executive director of Texas NORML] said. He pointed out that international organizations and high profile officials, including former Mexican presidents Ernesto Zedillo and Vicente Fox, have publicly endorsed the legalization of marijuana.
[…]
“Just as the prohibition of alcohol served to greatly increase crime, violence, and death in our society, so has the prohibition of marijuana,” Schimberg said.
Molly Molloy, a research librarian at New Mexico State University who monitors and writes about border issues [as you can see here], suggests the O’Rourke/Byrd book “makes a good case for opening up a discussion on ending the prohibition of marijuana.”
“The authors provide the shocking details of the violence in Juárez and the role of U.S. policy in fueling the violence,” Molloy said.
[…]
There is already a used copy available at Amazon.