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Our emphasis here is based not only on the growing seriousness of drug-related crimes, but also on the belief that relieving our police and our courts from having to fight losing battles against drug use will enable their energies and facilities to be devoted more fully to combating other forms of crime.
Milton Friedman
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that focusing on serious crimes can help law enforcement allocate their resources more effectively by de-emphasizing the war on drugs.

Milton Friedman emphasizes the importance of redirecting the focus of law enforcement from drug-related offenses, which he perceives as a losing battle, to more serious crimes. He argues that by alleviating the burden of failed drug policies on police and courts, these institutions can better address other criminal activities that pose a greater threat to society, thus enhancing overall public safety and justice.

Themes

Drug PolicyLaw EnforcementPublic SafetyCrimeResources

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about law reform, one could cite this quote to advocate for changes in drug legislation.

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The strongest argument for free enterprise is that it prevents anybody from having too much power. Whether that person is a government official, a trade union official, or a business executive. If forces them to put up or shut up. They either have to deliver the goods, produce something that people are willing to pay for, are willing to buy, or else they have to go into a different business.
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