Former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) said at a recent symposium that the time has come for a major reassessment of the war on drugs, the Providence Journal reported April 14.

"We're at the point now where we really need to assess whether or not it's working," Chafee said at a regional meeting of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). "There are a lot of people who will tell you it's not working. We should be open and honest with ourselves and what are our options."

Chafee said that a global consensus is needed on drug policy, possibly led by the United Nations. "The doors are open to a different way of looking at the war on drugs," he said. "It has to be done in unison, with a lot of other countries."

SSDP embraces a harm-reduction approach to fighting drugs, opposes DARE and drug testing in schools, and has fought against federal laws that strip federal education aid from students convicted of drug offenses.

"Historically, universities have been where out-of-the-box thinking first takes place," Chafee said. "There's more freedom in the collegiate setting to address certain things."