An Unhappy Ending To The Drug War?

The American Interest ^ | July 11, 2011 | Walter Russell Mead

[Clintonfatigued]

The Drug War, with an impact stretching far beyond the inner cities, is one of America’s worst policies. It costs billions we don’t have; it promotes the growth of transnational criminal gangs and supports large black markets in money and arms that terrorists as well as drug lords can use; if fills the prisons and it hasn’t stopped either the use of existing illegal drugs or the development of new ones. Furthermore, as a Cato Institute paper estimates that legalizing and taxing drugs would yield more than $80 billion a year in savings and new revenue. (Something tells me that even the hardiest Tea Partiers might see their way to a hefty excise tax on heroin and cocaine.)

What we are doing now isn’t working. My old CFR colleague and Coast Guard official Steve Flynn used to say that if terrorists wanted to smuggle a nuclear warhead into the United States their best bet would be to hide it in a shipment of cocaine. Since our interdiction rate is so low, the bomb would have an excellent chance of getting through.

[Mariner]

"and it hasn’t stopped either the use of existing illegal drugs or the development of new ones"

Hasn't even slowed it down, even though it has destroyed thousands of lives needlessly. Maybe millions.

Drug Warriors are enemies of liberty and would have jailed George Washington for growing hemp. For 25 years.

I've had it with them and their kind.

[Mariner]

"legalize and tax rape, murder, child molestation and kiddie porn while you are at it"

Only an idiot would equate smoking a joint to the above violent crimes.

Do you believe the crimes to be equivalent? Do you believe we jail those who smoke pot?

[eclecticEel]

t legalizing and taxing drugs

I do always find it a little amusing when Libertarians discover something they think should be taxed.

[KDD]

And I point out that YOU adhere to the far leftist extremes of political thought because you accept the same legal reasoning that made cannabis illegal, but which also reasoned that abortion on demand was legal. Are you so intractable that I need to explain how the bastardizing of the commerce clause of our Constitution by our courts has done more to create the kind of State that you rail against then someone smoking pot could ever do. Your stance is the liberal stance. It is not the Constitution that you want to conserve. You are the enemy of freedom and I hunt wannabe warrior wolfs as you call yourself on your homepage...who think it is their job to protect the “sheep” as you so plainly think of others in the writings on your homepage. Many fascist pelts hanging in my barn.

[KDD]

Metaphorically speaking of course.

[ansel12]

One of the effects that the drugs have on you guys is that you start seeing straight America as fascists and bad guys.

I hope you get some intervention before it is too late.

[SatinDoll]

I was waiting for someone to blurt out that kind of clap-trap, about how harmless marijuana is as a habit!

Reefer CAN make you insane - really!

Marijuana / Cannabis and Schizophrenia
http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/streetdrugs.html

[Valin]

Excellent analysis!

Where there is no vision, the people perish
Proverbs 29:18