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Back to Which Way, L.A.?

Which Way, L.A.?

Is the War on Drugs a Failure? Is It Time to Legalize?

The global "War on Drugs" began 50 years ago at the United Nations. Richard Nixon made it US policy 10 years later. Since then it has "failed to cut drug usage, but has filled our jails, cost millions in taxpayer dollars, fuelled organized crime and caused thousands of deaths."

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    The global "War on Drugs" began 50 years ago at the United Nations. Richard Nixon made it US policy 10 years later. Since then it has "failed to cut drug usage, but has filled our jails, cost millions in taxpayer dollars, fuelled organized crime and caused thousands of deaths." That's according to the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which includes former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, three former South American presidents, former Secretary of State George Shultz, ex-Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker, and British entrepreneur Richard Branson. We look at possible new strategies and their political viability in Washington.

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

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      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

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      Karen Radziner

      Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ethan Nadelmann

      Drug Policy Alliance

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      Robert DuPont

      Georgetown Medical School

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      Vanda Felbab-Brown

      Brookings Institution

      News
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