Oh, Let the Drug Users Die

New Mexico just passed a law granting immunity from drug charges for those who seek medical help for overdoses. This law -- the first of its kind in the nation -- was passed amidst an "epidemic" of drug fatalities in New Mexico.

While this is certainly a move in the right direction, it is both astounding and morally reprehensible that every other state in the U.S. actually does prosecute people seeking such help. To be clear, these people have deprived no one of anything, have violated no one's rights, and are being scared away from seeking much-needed help simply because the state has deemed in unacceptable for them to consume certain chemicals. No doubt there have been more than a few people who have died alone and afraid for fear of being locked up with murderers and rapists if they sought help.

It is far past time for the American people to overcome their ignorant, uninformed hyper-intolerance of drugs and drug users. The pathetic "War on Drugs" has filled our jails with nonviolent drug "offenders" who have harmed no one; it has led to massive corruption and overreach in government; it has wasted unimaginable amounts of our taxpayer dollars; it has spawned horrific crime and gang violence in our cities; it has turned every law-abiding American into a "suspect".

And for all this, drugs are cheaper and more readily available than ever before. This "war" is nothing more than the empty moral posing of politicians and the sadistic intolerance of the people. It achieves nothing and hurts innocent people -- it is flat-out stupid. The good news is that more and more Americans are realizing the utter failure of this "war", and are calling for more freedom. Let's hope this is only the beginning of a much greater trend.