Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher-CA speaking on the floor of the U.S. House on

THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF PROHIBITION

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, December 5, 1933, December 5, 2007.
So, tomorrow we mark the 75th anniversary of something, and most people will just pass it by and not be aware that tomorrow marks the end of America's great and noble experiment. It is the 75th anniversary of the end of the national prohibition of alcoholic beverages.

With the repeal of prohibition in 1933, that was 75 years ago tomorrow, the United States ended a social planning policy that created organized crime in America, crowded our jails with nonviolent prisoners, corrupted our police, increased urban violence, and destroyed the lives of thousands of victims of unadulterated and poisoned substances, substances which if they were permitted would have been subject to normal market protections of fraud and quality standards. However, during prohibition, these substances which were consumed by the American people often poisoned them and caused them to lose their lives.

Philosopher Santayana told us that those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Have we in Washington learned the lesson of prohibition that ended 75 years ago?

Why did America reject the prohibition of alcoholic beverages? Well, when government attempts to control the peaceful behavior of its citizens, it often sets in motion forces that are more dangerous than the social evil that they are trying to control. Today's war on drugs is perhaps an example.

The war on drugs has resulted in a multimillion dollar network of violent organized crime. The war on drugs has created the deaths by drive-by shootings and turf wars among gangs in our cities. The war on drugs has overcrowded our prisons. More than half of Federal prison space is occupied by nonviolent drug users. The war on drugs has corrupted our police and crowded our courts. We apparently did not learn the lesson of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages.

Today, on the campaign trail we hear new calls for prohibitions on cigarettes, on fatty foods, and even more money should be spent, yes, on the war on drugs.

But, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition, let us have the courage to learn from the mistakes of the past. Perhaps it would be better for us to focus our energies not on the supply side of drugs just as they were doing with the supply side of alcohol, but instead to focus our efforts on trying to help those people who are addicted to drugs; perhaps to try to help our young people, deter our young people from getting involved in drugs; perhaps to take a whole new approach on this, rather than this monstrous war on drugs that has done nothing but create havoc in our inner cities, making so many young people who have been arrested and their lives destroyed because they will never be able to get a decent job after one arrest being a teenager.

So many people have been hurt by the war on drugs; yet we keep it because we want to supposedly help people. Well, I would suggest that this 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition, which was the greatest failure of American social planning in the history of our country, let us try to commit ourselves to help ensure that our young
people are dissuaded and deterred from the use of narcotics.

Let us work with those who are, indeed, addicted to narcotics and help them free themselves from this habit. But let's end this notion that we can try to control the use of narcotics in our country by simply controlling the supply. Simply controlling the supply will not work. We've got to look at the demand side, try to treat people humanely, and use the limited resources that we have in a much more constructive way, rather than just creating more police who are committed to drugs and interdiction and all the rest of the major expenses, court expenses and others that go into a war on drugs rather than an attempt to help people who are susceptible to the use of drugs.

I call the attention of my fellow colleagues to this the 75th anniversary of the repeal of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages.

[Congressional Record: December 4, 2007 (House)]
[Page H14135]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr04de07-158]

Barney Frank has been sponsoring legalization legislation for the past five years at least.

Also John Conyers, now the chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, is on the board of the Drug policy Alliance in an honorary capacity. A coordinated effort to support Conyers in a Committee action for legalization could break this wide open. Something like having Conyers introduce a House version of Jim Webb's Criminal Justice Commission and schedule hearings in Judiciary. Webb introduced the legislation in the Senate but if it does not get scheduled in committee it goes nowhere.

This stuff has great potential if we can work out how to best inspire and support these legislators.

Now is the time and the congress is the place to bring this to a head. And quickly.

Paul Volcker, former Federal Reserve Chairman, is on Obama's economic advisory committee. He is also another honorary member of the Drug Policy Alliance board. For whatever that is worth.

Masses of assertive Americans out in the streets is the only thing that will change the minds of congress. Getting as many people as possible to any and all drug reform related rallies and protests is the way to change the minds of congress. The larger the crowd the more likely the media will cover it. The bigger the crowd the better pictures for the media to publish.

Philadelphia, PA

The 2009 Global Cannabis March, or Philadelphia Cannabis Festival, will be taking place on Saturday May 2, 2009. The event is still being planned, so more information will be posted as it becomes available. The GCM is an annual event that brings out hundreds of supporters, patients, and onlookers. It's an excellent opportunity to show just how popular legalization is, and to have a lot of fun. In 2008 we had our biggest one yet with over 400 people. This year we hope to top 1,000. Check back often for updates!

Saturday, May 2, 2009
Meet at Broad St. and South St. at 3:30 - 4:00pm
March towards Headhouse Square at 4:20pm
Arrive at Headhouse Square by 5:20pm
Speeches - done by 6:30pm

"There are a lot of people who understand that [the current war on drugs has been a failure], but they are afraid to politically say so," Rohrabacher said. "If it was a vote – a blind vote where nobody knew who was voting – you would have overwhelming support for legalizing marijuana out there, but they will never vote for it because they are afraid of taking on a controversial issue."

This is why I believe that it is so important to pound hard and pound daily at the United States Congress. They are under siege and we can give them alternatives or we can leave them hanging.