Beyond Control - by Jacob Sullum (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In this incisive book, Reason editor Jacob Sullum untangles America's twin crusades against guns and drugs, suggesting better-tailored alternatives that do more good while causing less harm"--

Book Synopsis

In this incisive book, Reason editor Jacob Sullum untangles America's twin crusades against guns and drugs, suggesting better-tailored alternatives that do more good while causing less harm.

Does gun control work? What about drug prohibition? In this cogent examination of two of America's most enduring challenges, Reason Senior Editor Jacob Sullum traces the evolution of gun and drug laws from their dubious beginnings to today's divisive rhetoric. Based on data-driven analysis and compassionate consideration of the human costs imposed by the twin crusades against guns and drugs, Sullum recommends an alternative approach that focuses on reducing harm, including the harm caused by misguided policies.

Sullum exposes the racist roots of gun control and drug control, noting that both policies continue to have a racially disproportionate impact. Even leaving aside the legacy of that dark history, he argues, both policies are unjust because they punish people for conduct that violates no one's rights. They are also dangerous to civil liberties because they encourage the expansion of government power at the expense of individual freedom.

The burdens imposed by gun control and drug control reinforce each other, since gun possession increases penalties for drug offenses and drug offenses disqualify people from legally possessing guns. Yet there is little logic to these legal regimes, which penalize people for behavior that is not inherently criminal.

Decades of research have produced scant evidence that popular gun control prescriptions such as assault weapon bans, universal background checks, restrictions on ownership, and red flag laws work as advertised. Research on the impact of the war on drugs likewise provides little reason to believe that its doubtful benefits outweigh its myriad costs. In both cases, the burdens often fall on peaceful individuals who pose no threat to public safety, and the policies seem ill-designed to reduce the problems they aim to address.

Sullum notes that critics of gun control and critics of the war on drugs make similar points, complaining that these policies are unfair, invasive, poorly targeted, and ineffective. But because these two sets of critics tend to come from opposing political camps, they usually overlook their common ground. Beyond Control surveys that territory, showing that conservatives and progressive share concerns about overcriminalization, overzealous law enforcement, draconian penalties, and the erosion of civil liberties.

Substance abuse, violence, and suicide are complex problems that cannot be solved by targeting inanimate objects or by arresting and incarcerating people who possess them. Beyond Control urges better-tailored alternatives that would do more good while causing less harm.

Review Quotes

"Jacob Sullum lays bare the intersection of the war on drugs, gun regulation, and enforcement bias. Beyond Control shows why we should be skeptical of 'common-sense' regulation of complex problems. It gores sacred cows on both sides of the aisle and should be mandatory reading for every politician."

"Beyond Control exposes the shared failures of gun control and drug prohibition, making a compelling case for personal freedom over government overreach. It is a must-read for those who value liberty and sound policy over political posturing."

"A compelling and provocative book about drugs and guns, one that challenges many assumptions about the criminal justice system, from one of the nation's most original thinkers. By focusing on evidence of what works--and what doesn't--Jacob Sullum provides a seven-course meal of food for thought."

"Conservatives and progressives share an itch to regulate the behavior of others. So, libertarians like Jacob Sullum must be contrarians, discomfiting both sides. Both will be improved by his explanation of the pedigrees of their ideas. And by his demonstration of the parallels between drug and gun policies pursued with indifference to proper cost-benefit analyses, and unintended consequences."

"Drug control and gun control are rarely analyzed within the same normative framework. Sullum presents an insightful account of the surprising parallels between these two regulatory regimes. Beyond Control will help readers who aspire to make America safer by resisting ineffective and counterproductive measures."

"In characteristically lucid and vigorous prose, Jacob Sullum contends that American drug control laws and gun control laws share similar histories, logics, and flaws. His argument in favor of a 'harm reduction' approach to both areas of policy deserves a wide audience."

"In this insightful and timely book, Jacob Sullum uncovers the remarkable similarities between the war on drugs and gun control, revealing how both sides of the political aisle rely on outdated and inconsistent reasoning to support laws that devastate vulnerable minorities. Whether you agree or disagree with Sullum's conclusions, you will never look at these two issues the same again."


"Jacob Sullum's important book is a must-read for policy professionals and a thought-provoking resource for people who value individual liberty. Beyond Control shows just how deeply unjust America's gun control and drug policies can be--and presents a compelling case for serious reform."

About the Author

Jacob Sullum, a senior editor at Reason magazine, has been covering drug policy and gun control for more than three decades. Sullum's weekly column is carried by newspapers across the United States. He is a National Magazine Award finalist and recipient of the Thomas S. Szasz Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Cause of Civil Liberties and the Drug Policy Alliance's Edward M. Brecher Award for Achievement in the Field of Journalism. Sullum's work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Cigar Aficionado, National Review, and many other publications. He is the author of Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use and For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health.