| e-mail me | Writing |
"You're entitled to your own opinion, but you're not entitled to your own facts."
-- Former U.S. Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey
|
Yes, this site is soooooo Web 1.0! When I first built it, writing raw html by hand was really just about the only way to do the job. Of course, you'll also notice that everything seems to be dreadfully out of date -- and it is. I simply had to give up doing the work to keep it updated, as I had to return to full time employment quite some time ago. One thing remains the same about the war on drugs: nothing really changes. Sure, the data points about the use of drugs other than alcohol continue to increase along a well-worn path, but basically, the "War on Drugs"is just an endless loop dating back over 100 years. Someday, I may be able to return to this work, but as I said, it will all boil down to more of the same. Lather, rinse, repeat -- that's the bottom line. Nothing about it changes but the date on the calendar. Meanwhile, the Baker Institute of Public Policy has undertaken a project to update and host a lot of the work I have done on this site. As the data are updated, I will put links on the pertinent pages here to direct people to the updated data on the Baker Institute site. In addition I have been invited to join the institute as a non-resident Contributing Expert in their Drug Policy Program, in which capacity I will continue to add to my own body of work, as well as contributing to theirs. An issue brief concerning the work is available here. The full contents of this site will remain in place until all of the appropriate work is transferred, and remains available in perpetuity via the "Internet Wayback Machine."
Thank you for stopping by. What you'll find here is the easiest to use and most complete collection of official government data, historic media reporting, and above all else, better context to create a more accurate and complete picture about drug use and its impacts on our society. I use only the best, most accurate and most complete US Government source data available. The claims being made in the drug war debate can only be properly evaluated if the underlying data can be easily found and examined. So here it is: look at it, use it, and tell other people about what you learn. My intent is to provide a truly encyclopedic presentation and analysis of the drug war that is easy for the average person to really understand. Everything we are being told about the drugs and the drug users is based on fear, being grossly distorted, and is being presented by our government devoid of any truly useful context. Our nation has been at this for 100 years -- but it's a battle against biology that can never actually be "won." It is a sign of intelligence to learn from experience. To that end, rather than producing another 100 years of the same thing, we clearly need to reconsider our approach to this issue. Indeed, even those once charged with waging the war are saying that we need to stop. They were on the front lines: we need to listen to them. I recommend you read a few books too -- the situation is far worse than you may realize. We can forgive our long dead ancestors for starting this war, but we can in no way forgive those who press for its continuation. Don't simply believe what you hear and read -- look at all of the data yourself. You don't have to be "pro-drug" to help put an end to the drug war. I hope you'll spend some time perusing the site so you can see it all for yourself -- and tell other people. Learn the truth: it should make you anti-drugwar too!
|
|
| Overview of Available Data by Drug | ||
| Alcohol | Cocaine | Crack |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | Hallucinogens | Heroin |
| Inhalants | LSD | Marijuana |
| (Meth)amphetamines | Pain Relievers | PCP |
| Sedatives | Stimulants | Tranquilizers |
| Quick Links to Data and Statistics | |
| Arrest Data | ER Visits, Drug Rehab & Deaths |
| Drug Users & Use Rates | Prices, Purity, Seizures, etc |
| Traffic Accidents | Workplace Injuries & Deaths |
|
|
||||||||||||
e-mail: b2@briancbennett.com