Christian and Libertarian challenges #4: Drugs

“...Of course having “recreational drugs” be legal is a great selling point I’m sure for some folks….”

Drugs

For some folks, recreational drug use may be a selling point. For myself, I have no desire at all to use drugs recreationally, and I only reluctantly use them even under doctor's orders. But I still support the Libertarian position on the drug war. Namely, that it is ineffective, unfair, and immoral.

If you read what I had to say on prostitution, you shouldn’t be surprised by what I have to say here, either. When you make the sale of any given thing illegal, you don’t end that sale. You drive it into black markets, where bad people profit because bad people are the ones selling. People who might actually want help out of their situation are scared out of seeking it, because they are afraid of being thrown in jail.

Theologically, I believe that careless drug use is a sin against the self and against God, but I do not believe it should be treated a crime. The body is a temple, an image of God. I defile my temple enough with junk food and caffeine. I am in no position to judge people who have treated themselves poorly.

Christians are called on to show compassion and mercy. There is no compassion in locking a person up when they have done no injury to anyone else. Worse yet, too many people come out of jail in worse shape than when they went in.

On top of that, consider how our “war on drugs” has victimized people who have never used drugs. We have created “civil asset forfeiture”, a legal mechanism that is supposed to fund law enforcement with drug money. In practice, it allows the government to take people's money and property with no criminal charges or due process. Innocent people, even infants, have been wounded and killed by drug raids. Some of the worst tragedies have happened when police get the wrong address.

Over and over, in studies and in the real world, we have seen that results are far better when we treat drug addiction as a medical problem instead of a criminal problem. Countries that have switched their focus from prosecution to rehabilitation have seen positive results. Of course, simply making the drugs legal isn't enough. Compassion and rehabilitation for addicts is needed, as well as education to help people avoid tragic decisions. This is a place where Christians can and should step in show their love.

Justice demands that we end the victimization of the innocent, not just addicts, but also those people who lose life and property as “collateral damage”. Mercy calls on us to treat addicts as fellow fallen human beings, victims of a medical condition, even if it is self-inflicted, deserving of healing and love instead of incarceration. Ending the criminalization of drugs isn't just the Libertarian thing to do. I also believe that it is the best path for Christians to serve those struggling with drug addiction.

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