746 America’s War on Drugs

America has been waging a war on drugs of abuse for a very long time. Are we winning or losing?
A “get-tough” legal policy has resulted in many drug users being locked in prison. One guest argues that this is bad for the economy, and suggests adopting a European model. We talk with a neuropharmacologist for the scientific perspective on marijuana and other drugs.
Guests:
Arthur Benavie, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His book is Drugs: America’s Holy War.
Cynthia M. Kuhn, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. She is co-author of Buzzed: The Straight Facts about the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy. The photo is of Dr. Kuhn.