Greenfield and Paoli (2012) consider the possibility that drug law enforcement may be ineffective, expensive and accompanied by serious unwanted adverse consequences. But why are they so tentative? Their tone is reminiscent of Emperor Hirohito explaining (1945) his decision to surrender after WWII: "the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage". These days hardly a week passes without a police chief, senior politician or judge announcing (Transform Drug Policy Foundation, 2011) that the War on Drugs has failed dismally and that further attempts to achieve success are futile. Once it was just retired officials. But these days many senior serving officials demand that alternatives are considered.
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