…time to [review]; abolish the DEA
The Controlled Substances Act also serves as an enduring vehicle of government waste, costing over 1 trillion taxpayer dollars in the first 40 years alone… the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the federal agency tasked with implementation and enforcement of the CSA, had an annual operating budget of $3.136 billion in 2019.
By abolishing the DEA and decriminalizing all drugs, we could save tens of billions of dollars annually, which could be redirected toward funding research and health services, such as evidence-based treatment, harm reduction and other health and housing resources. These steps could greatly improve the lives of people who use drugs, begin repairing the devastation caused by the drug war and reduce the cost burden on taxpayers to fund failed enforcement and incarceration. After 50 years of failure, it is time to reshape American drug policy away from the antiquated, draconian punitive approaches of the past and into a new era of scientifically informed, evidence-based, human-centered policies.
Original Article (Truth Out):
No drugs should be criminalized. It’s time to abolish the DEA
Artwork Fair Use: Joe Loong
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