Open Democracy. “Prohibition addicts” as in the state and federal agencies that have grown rich fighting the drug war. The DEA alone, which has an annual budget of $2 billion and a workforce of over 11,000, would immediately be stripped of its reason for existing if the targeted drugs were to be legalized. So this is an agency that has a vested interest in the drug war continuing. Local cops, drunk off the money and power of civil asset forfeiture, would feel their power and discretion greatly diminished by an end to the drug war. No more war goodies handed out by the Pentagon for them. No more spy gadgets. Oh yes, and no more SWAT teams, which do nothing but fight the drug war and get people killed. Just imagine how many law enforcement jobs would vanish without the drug war excuse. The mind reels.
