illegal drug cure

[bruce hylton]

To those who will be offended, I appoligize now. I have come to the conclusion that by legalizing meth and making it free, that we can win the illegal drug war for this country. We would put the Mexican drug lords out of business very fast. We would also finish killing or allowing to self-destruct all the people that are hooked on that stuff. There would be no reason for the theft that currently goes along with the drug culture as we know it. Overpopulation would soon cease to be a problem, more jobs would be available, and there would be fewer applicants. I too would probably lose a child or two, but it might be quicker than what I watch now, thus reducing the suffering. I would like to add to this destruction list people who put on videos of big snakes. Have a good day, Bruce

[sparkeyjames]

Is it really societies job to protect people with long range self destructive tendencies from themselves? The only job I see is to protect society from them if that means making drugs legal then so be it. So far the war on drugs is a total failure. Since the inception of this war there have been more murders, robberies and other sundry crimes. These stuff our prisons full at a huge cost to our society. Sometimes making criminals of people for next to nothing. It is disgusting.

[Gator95]

I would like to add to this destruction list people who put on videos of big snakes.

spiders too.

[BigguyZ]

Although I agree with thoguhts from both sides of the aisle, I'll just add a quote from Bill Hicks to add a bit of levity...

"I loved when Bush came out and said, "We are losing the war against drugs." You know what that implies? There's a war being fought, and the people on drugs are Winning it. "

[jackellis]

The Netherlands has one of the most permissive policies in the world when it comes to drugs. I don't know much about them or how successful they've been at limiting the crime that typically accompanies substance abuse but their experience would be instructive.

[DonHo]

This question has been around for a long time, I wrote a repot on it when I was a Sr. in highschool(48 yrs ago). Back then the drug problem was much less than it is today, so to me that means whatever they've been doing is not working. Taking most of the "profit" out of selling drugs seems like it would help alot. OTH, I'd hate to put government in charge. They probably make the problem worse.

DonHo

[gjat]

Based on intimate knowledge of the drug culture (DAMHIK), I am dead set against further legalization. The claim that it would reduce crime is ludicrous. Drugs that get you 'high' will never be free. Drug users will continue to decrease in their ability to pay or legally obtain drugs. Unlike alcohol, recreational drugs do not have deep seated cultural guidelines of reasonable use. I've seen way too many families destroyed when one or both parents self destruct with drugs. Unfortunately, it's the innocent children who end up suffering the most. The cost to society is not just the loss of the drug user, but the collateral damage to families and children.

The problem is fundamentally the lack of focus of will to combat it because too many in society believes the damage is only to the drug user and ignores the peripheal damage that carries long term costs.

[herb fellows]

Ditto on the snake video!

[germdoc]

Not to stir the pot too much, but my .02. I am against recreational drug use, based on the idea I am against anything that makes me stupider than I already am. I tell my kids this as well--don't make yourself stupider than you already are.

But...we do have "deep seated cultural guidelines of reasonable use" regarding certain drugs, such as marijuana. 50% of adults have tried it, including our 3 most recent presidents, and a lot of people use it frequently. I don't advise it, but I don't think a person's life and future should be taken away because of a joint. The number of lives ruined not because of the drugs but because of the criminalization of petty drug use is unbelievable. Our prisons are overcrowded with the victims of years of misguided drug policy.

I have a lot of experience treating drug and alcohol abusers. Very, very few of them are ever benefitted from a hard-fisted approach emphasizing punishment (with the exception of court-ordered treatment). Yet, treatment programs are harder than ever to get into.

The previous "war on drugs" has been an incredible waste. We should focus on major drugs and the violence associated with their distribution, and provide more treatment of users, not punishment.

[gjat]

Not to stir the pot too much, but my .02. I am against recreational drug use, based on the idea I am against anything that makes me stupider than I already am. I tell my kids this as well--don't make yourself stupider than you already are.

But...we do have "deep seated cultural guidelines of reasonable use" regarding certain drugs, such as marijuana. 50% of adults have tried it, including our 3 most recent presidents, and a lot of people use it frequently. I don't advise it, but I don't think a person's life and future should be taken away because of a joint. The number of lives ruined not because of the drugs but because of the criminalization of petty drug use is unbelievable. Our prisons are overcrowded with the victims of years of misguided drug policy.

I have a lot of experience treating drug and alcohol abusers. Very, very few of them are ever benefitted from a hard-fisted approach emphasizing punishment (with the exception of court-ordered treatment). Yet, treatment programs are harder than ever to get into.

The previous "war on drugs" has been an incredible waste. We should focus on major drugs and the violence associated with their distribution, and provider on treatment of users, not punishment.

I agree with much of what you say, especially the treatment of actual drug users, but the problem with that, many drug users become low level dealers to afford their habit. I do think we punish users too much and don't punish suppliers and dealers enough.

Legalizing drug use only serves to exacerbate the problem by increasing the base of drug users, thus increasing the customer base for drug dealers to sell to. Drugs can't ever be free, so there is no way we can take the 'profit' out of it. Just consider the tobacco industry...

I do disagree on the 'deep seated cultural' aspects of smoking pot and drinking alcohol. Recent (last few decades) societal use in America connot even begin to compare with eons of alcohol use in all cultures, almost all Continents, etc.

[cgallery]

We recently learned that we have a drug house right around the corner from our home. In fact, a 15-YO girl recently died there. She started with marijuana, but graduated to all sorts of other drugs. BTW, don't tell me marijuana isn't a gateway drug. For people with addictive personalities, Marijuana is Pandora's box.

Anyway... How about this for the drug problem: We flood the market with fake versions of all the "recreational" drugs. However, these fake versions either do nothing, or they make you violently ill (they don't kill you, but they make you puke your guts out for a day or two).

We may even need fake drug dealers and cartels to push them into the market.

Am I completely insane? Just having written that I think I'm going off the deep end.

[charliex]

Quoting cgallery
"Anyway... How about this for the drug problem: We flood the market with fake versions of all the "recreational" drugs. However, these fake versions either do nothing, or they make you violently ill (they don't kill you, but they make you puke your guts out for a day or two).

We may even need fake drug dealers and cartels to push them into the market."

Am I completely insane?" The answer to that question is an emphatic NO.

I have posited this solution for years. I'm not sure that I disagree with the "kill" version. Users seem to have a death-wish anyway. (I might be the nut)

[bruce hylton]

If drugs were free in the border regions, there would be no dealers or cartels in a short time. If you put a large enough reward out, you will have someone collect it. It costs more for the justice system to catch a criminal and prove a case than a reward to do the same thing would cost. The present system does however make lots of work for the justice system. None of this will ever happen because there is too much money as it is being done now.

[Uncle Cracker]

If anybody really thinks dope addicts will find Jesus and quit stealing from people if their dope is suddenly free for the asking, then you have my sympathies...

[germdoc]

A couple more comments. Marijuana may be a "gateway drug" but would be so whether legal or not--the war on drugs has not decreased access of young people to marijuana, know this from personal experience. If it weren't available, there'd be another "gateway drug".

My niece ran into trouble with drugs (meth). She was forced by the court to go into treatment and is so far doing well, 2 years afterward. Her no-account boyfriend was sent up for a short stint in prison. Doubt that did him any good, though it got him out of her hair for a year or so.