Michael was born with asthma and extreme allergies to dairy. Even being exposed to dairy could cause him pain and severe anxiety. Michael learned that marijuana could help him deal with the allergies and anxiety.

Unfortunately, he was not given a prescription so he was charged with simple misdemeanor possession for use. Being a good citizen, when Michael missed a court date, he voluntarily showed up and turned himself in. He also brought his medications and a letter from his doctor explaining his medical condition and his allergy related needs.

He was placed in prison for the night. Now, many people in a civilized world might think it extreme to imprison someone for an action that harmed no other person. What happened next is far worse. The doctor’s letter was ignored by prison guards and Michael was given food he was allergic to and told to eat it. He was denied his medications and his pleas for help by him and fellow prisoners were ignored. He died in prison on July 3, 2012.

The drug war is an utter and total failure and sadly, Michael’s death is but one of many deaths caused not by drugs but by the drug war. Other victims even include those accidentally targeted by police and “wrong door raids” when government error costs lives. Side effects of the drug war include massive spending by taxpayers on law enforcement and courts and prisons, the prevalence of smugglers and gangs who would be without profit were the war to end and diversion of resources which could be better used elsewhere. Crack and meth both exist, in part because they were designed to be cheaper, easier to transport alternatives to cocaine – something which would have never been desired had cocaine been legal in the first place. Our drug war is a major reason that the US outpaces China, Russia, South Africa and dwarfs Europe in incarceration rates. The self proclaimed most free country in the world, actually has the largest per capita number of prisoners.

America has need for improved economy, we cannot afford this very expensive war to which no end can be seen, a war which can never see the ‘troops come home’. Resources spent by law enforcement, prisons and courts for non-violent drug offenders would be far better spent on violent criminals.

I’ve never done any drug in my life – never tried marijuana – but I cannot understand any laws which harm my fellow citizen simply on the suspicion that a substance they take could cause them to commit crime – it is odd, unreasonable and illogical. Its also bad economics. Our experience with prohibition shows that it does not work – it did not work with alcohol and it is not working with other drugs today. In Portugal, where they ended the prohibition of drugs, we now know that usage and crime has actually decreased.

Washington State, where Michael lived, voted to allow personal marijuana use about six months after Michael died. The Federal government has said that, regardless of what voters in Colorado and Washington have decided, they intend to prosecute the crime anyway through the DEA and other means. Is this freedom, justice or a representative democracy? It’s time to stop wasting our money on a failed drug war.