Milton Friedman on the War on Drugs

In 2006 prior to his death, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) sat down with Milton Friedman to discuss his thoughts on the morality of drug prohibition and the failed War on Drugs. From the interview:   On Morality "I do not believe the State has the right to tell me what to put in my head. We have a law for free speech, free assembly, and so on. I think the same thing goes with respect to what I put into my body. I don't think the state has any more right to tell me what to put in my mouth then it has to tell me what can come out of my mouth. Those two are essentially the same thing—and they both are essential elements of freedom." On Making Prohibition Work "You can never make prohibition work. As long as there are substantial numbers of people that want to use the product, there will be a supply forthcoming. What will happen is that the cost of the drug will go up in order to finance the illegal activities that are necessary to bring it to market." "I think almost every economist would agree that government gets itself into trouble when it tries to interfere with voluntary behavior. Marijuana prohibition is a victimless crime. You have a willing buyer and a willing seller." "If you have a voluntary sale and purchase of marijuana between a willing buyer and a willing seller, then the only way to enforce the prohibition of it is to have an informer." On the Drug Users "We mustn't regard the users of the drugs as if they didn't count. They count! They are people. Who are we to say whether they are doing the right thing or not by using drugs?" On the International Effects of the War on Drugs "One of the worst features of our prohibition is its international effects. Here we are responsible in the United States for the deaths of hundreds or thousands of people in Latin America—in Colombia and Peru and so on. Why are they dying? They are dying because we cannot enforce our own laws...we are fundamentally a murderer of people in countries like Peru." Since 1972 "I challenge anybody to read a Newsweek column I wrote in 1972 and find out where it has gone wrong. That Newsweek column was an occasion by President Nixon declaring a war on drugs. In that column I pointed out all of the effects that would follow from it; the corruption, the violence, the lack of respect for the law, the difficulties overseas, and so on." (Milton Friedman: Prohibition and Drugs, May 1, 1972 Newsweek)
Internet Streaming Source
Marijuana Policy Project TV - Part 1 Marijuana Policy Project TV - Part 2
Video Sharing Sites
YouTube

The Coming Century of Liberty

A key figure in the libertarian movement, David Boaz surveys what he sees as the threats to freedom from the Bush administration and the current presidential candidates. Though he is frustrated with many of the candidates' positions, he remains optimistic about the future of civil and economic liberties. However, he says that the future of freedom requires that Americans devote considerable effort to preserving and protecting these rights. Speech delivered to The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco July 9, 2008
Internet Streaming Source
Fora.tv
More Information
The Cato Institute

Free to Choose 1980 - Volume 2: The Tyranny of Control

Topic: The Case for Free Trade Government planning and detailed control of economic activity lessens productive innovation, and consumer choice. Good, better, best, are replaced by "approved" or "authorized." Friedman shows how "established" industries or methods, seek government protection or subsidization in their attempts to stop or limit product improvements which they don't control. Friedman visits India, Japan and U.S.
Internet Streaming Source
IdeaChannel.tv
Video Sharing Sites
Google Video
Direct Download
Bit Torrent
DVD Purchase
IdeaChannel.com
More Information
Free to Choose @ Wikipedia FreetoChoose.com

Free to Choose 1980 - Volume 3: Anatomy of a Crisis

Topic: What caused the Great Depression, and how future depressions can be avoided The Great Depression has been popularly viewed as a failure of capitalism. The stock market crash, the failure of the Bank of the United States, loss of personal savings, were visible symbols supporting this belief. As Friedman explains, the real cause was the unseen failure of government policy and action. Yet this crisis resulting from government failure leads to decades of government expansion.
Internet Streaming Source
IdeaChannel.tv
Video Sharing Sites
Google Video
Direct Download
Bit Torrent
DVD Purchase
IdeaChannel.com
More Information
Free to Choose @ Wikipedia FreetoChoose.com

Free to Choose 1980 - Volume 4: From Cradle to Grave

Topic: The welfare system's effect on society The welfare state arises from the attempt to do good with other people's money. Such attempts always fail because: Nobody spends somebody else's money as carefully as his own. Welfare is supply driven. Those spending the money use force to collect it and to insure those receiving it use it for "right" purposes. Good intentions are corrupted by bad means. Friedman visits U.S. and Britain.
Internet Streaming Source
IdeaChannel.tv
Video Sharing Sites
Google Video
Direct Download
Bit Torrent
DVD Purchase
IdeaChannel.com
More Information
Free to Choose @ Wikipedia FreetoChoose.com

Free to Choose 1980 - Volume 5: Created Equal

Topic: Is equality attainable or even desirable for society? The Declaration of Independence says, "all men are created equal." Friedman explains that this did not mean all persons should or will have equal talents or income. Equal opportunity to better one's self, and the right to personally benefit from the gains realized, are consistent with freedom. Equality of results requires force. Taking from some to give to others destroys freedom and removes the incentive for creating new wealth. Friedman visits India, U.S. and Britain.
Internet Streaming Source
IdeaChannel.tv
Video Sharing Sites
Google Video
Direct Download
Bit Torrent
DVD Purchase
IdeaChannel.com
More Information
Free to Choose @ Wikipedia FreetoChoose.com