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Do we need a third war right now?
While our troops occupy Afghanistan and Iraq -- the first war mandatory and the second war voluntary -- a quieter voluntary war goes on at home: the war against drugs.
The war against drugs may well cost more money and lives than the war in Afghanistan, except it's a war by Americans against Americans.
Marijuana causes few deaths, is less addictive than cigarettes, and may even provide medical relief to patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma, or AIDS.
Yet, quietly, far away from the mainstream media, the Bush Administration prosecutes the drug war with a vengeance, putting a greater percentage of Americans in jail than any nation on earth.
Is the drug war working? Would peer pressure do a better job than prison? (Think about cigarette use in recent years.)
Should drugs like crack, used by poor people, be punished far more severely than those like cocaine used by rich people?
(Recall that George W. Bush refuses to say if he was a cocaine user.)
Which is more harmful to society, a non-violent drug user? or the violent gang that makes a living selling drugs?
What does a non-violent addict need? Treatment or prison? Which is cheaper? Which prepares the addict for a productive life?
Should the Bush Administration use taxpayer money to persuade voters to vote against state legalization campaigns?Should the State ban large dance parties because some people use drugs there?
Should the State be wary of imprisoning people who harm no one but themselves?
My guest is Keith Stroup, Founder and Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Find out THE INSIDE SCOOP on America's third war, fought far from the media glare.
All calls are welcome, particularly from those of you who disagree.