Now Playing at Reason.tv: LEAPing Past the Drug War

During Reason Weekend, the annual event held by the nonprofit that publishes this website, Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie caught up with Jerry Cameron of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a group made up of police, judges, and other guardians of the law who are sick and tired of the massive costs of the drug war. LEAP's members have seen firsthand how the drug war perverts the justice system, corrupts cops, intensifies violent crime, and screws with foreign policy—all without having any real effect on whether people use drugs or not.

Cameron, a former police chief of two "small town departments," is a graduate of the 150th Session of the FBI National Academy, the DEA Basic Drug Enforcement Course, and two DEA Advanced Drug Enforcement Professional Institutes. Gillespie asked Cameron about how LEAP got started, whether it's achieving its aims, what his drug of choice is, and more.

Shot and edited by Roger Richards; approximately 6 minutes.

Go here for an audio podcast version.

Related: Back in 2008, Reason.tv interviewed another LEAP luminary, former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper about his take on the ruinous drug war.

Comments

[R C Dean]

Isn't LEAP really "a group made up of retired police, former judges, and other ex-guardians of the law"? Seems like every time I hear from one of them, he is no longer employed as such.

[SpongePaul]

i think the reason that is is simple. If you are an active officer and join leap, you are saying you will not enforce the drug laws, which you are charged to do. so you either resing, or get indicted for malfesance of office and or delericiton of duty, for not aresting pot smokers.

[LarryA]

Former officers no longer have department-issued muzzles.

[Tom]

Many of our officers are retired, but some are still active duty. They still enforce the laws they were sworn to uphold, but are actively working to change those laws. Any citizen can sign up as a supporter and get our e-mail alerts at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com

[Pat]

LEAP is in the forefront of leading American politicians to a wiser alternative to the prohibition against a regulated distribution of drugs. Their lobbyist in congress has made a point of getting into the offices of every member of congress with reform alternatives. The congress is the heart of the drug war. The congress started it and the congress can end or fix it.

Drug policy reform is in the United States Congress now.

Virginia Senator Jim Webb authored S-714, a bill to create a national criminal justice commission. It has 24 co-sponsors in the senate so far. It can use more co-sponsors. Consider writing to your senators and asking them to co-sponsor S-714.

S-714.
http://mysite.verizon.net/aahpat/aandc/s714.htm

S-714 tally sheet of senators who so far co-sponsor the bill.
http://mysite.verizon.net/aahpat/aandc/s-714_tally.htm

Most recently the senator said of the commission, everything is on the table for discussion, including marijuana legalization.
http://drugwartreason.blogspot.com/2009/04/marijuana-legalization-is-on-table.html

[John C. Randolph]

LEAP has 12 thousand members?

That's the most encouraging figure I've heard this year.

-jcr

[Tony Borell]

It's encouraging, certainly, but note that not all of those 12 thousand are law enforcement. For example, I'm a member and I've only ever ridden in the BACK of a squad car.

[paul ron]

It's good to see opposition to the current policies. I feel a drug-drinking age along with good quality products such as Cannabis, coco leaf and some type of amphetamine stimulant would take a large part of the illegal trade out of the market. There are a large amount of citizens who like to use these substances casually. Drugs must be devalued using economic principles. A kilogram of coca should be about the same price as coffee