Posted on 03/05/2006 2:49:43 PM PST by freedom44
Cocaine, marijuana, heroin and LSD - all of these drugs are illegal to possess, produce or traffic in the United States of America. Yet, tobacco, alcohol and various other over the counter drugs are legal in the United States. Why, I ask?
I do not understand why certain drugs are illegal in America, and why other drugs that are just as dangerous and addictive are legally and socially accepted. This country currently spends tens of billions of dollars each year trying to prevent drugs from entering the country. At the same time, billions of dollars are spent on advertisements promoting the use of other controlled substances.
Does anybody else see a flaw in the current system? Who are the people who decide what is a "good" drug and what is a "bad" drug? I believe the war on drugs has failed and that we should decriminalize all drugs. I do not understand why adults, in the privacy of their own homes, cannot put whatever substance they want into their bodies.
There are many positive effects that would come about if we legalized the possession and use of narcotics and various other illegal drugs.
First off, the prison populations would decrease greatly. Prisons are currently overcrowded because of the high percentage of inmates that are incarcerated on drug-related offenses. Many of these drug law offenders are in prison because of nonviolent possession offenses. Are these offenders that dangerous to society?
Besides having less people currently in prison, there are many other economic rewards for the legalization of drugs. The federal government would be able to tax and regulate the sale of legalized drugs, increasing tax revenues.
In addition, this would allow police departments around the country to be able to focus on malicious crimes instead of drug-related offenses. This would produce more efficient policing departments, and could perhaps prevent more non-drug related crime. Although the economic advantages of legalizing drugs are important, the social advantages are even greater.
The legalization of drugs would make drug use a health problem instead of a criminal problem. Drug users would be able to freely seek help and rehabilitation, without fearing legal implications.Rehabilitation, instead of imprisonment, would not only help current drug users with their actual drug habit, but also wash some of the stigmate away from drug use. No longer would a drug user be forced to hide his habit from his friends and family. Drug users could use their social networks to help them quit their habits, instead of hiding the problem for fear of rejection.
The poor neighborhoods of the city would also be radically changed if all drugs were legalized. A serious problem with most poor inner-city neighborhoods is drug-related crime and street gangs. Most street gangs are based on the trafficking of illegal drugs. With the legalization of drugs, many street gangs would cease to exist. Without the street gangs and drug dealers littering the neighborhood, the inner-city areas would be a radically different place.
Not only has the illegal-drug trade destroyed inner city areas around the United States, entire countries have been ruined because of it. The United States is by far the biggest market in the illegal-drug trade, and for our market to be supplied, there are various producer countries around the globe.
For example, Columbia's entire economy is based on the drug trade with the United States. Because of this, Columbia has one of the lowest Gross Domestic Products in the world. Columbia is also controlled by drug cartels that we have indirectly created because of the drug laws in the United States.
All of the reasons above are examples of the damage that the criminalization of drugs creates. The problems of our drug laws far outweigh the advantages the criminalization of drugs creates.
An example of something that's not good ... how did that imply anything about nontoxic cooking?
The only clean way is to build a chemical plant, with OSHA and the EPA looking over your shoulder
Which can't happen while it's illegal.
**I've never seen these arguments logically rebutted.**
That's because they don't need to be logically rebutted.
Spoken like a true statist. Don't ask questions, just do as you've been indoctrinated to do.
There is no public demand to end the war on drugs.
Wrong, there are people in public vocally demanding the war on drugs.
There is no public demand for drug legalization.
Wrong, there are people in public vocally demanding drug legalization.
There is no public demand to lower the prison population.
Wrong, there are people in public vocally demanding lower prison population.
There is no public demand to end drug related violence.
Wrong, there are people in public vocally demanding an end to drug related violence.
Those issues don't hit home and they want to keep it that way.
You really blew your cover with that. You, want to keep it that way.
And frankly, when most people read these screeds with the same argument over and over about prison populations and X billion dollars going to fight the WOD and all that same old doggerel, it reads like this (I will boil it down to the fewest, yet most effective wording possible):
"I want the government to sanction my recreational drug habit".
Interesting that you are the first person on this thread to make that statement. But you just proclaimed that it was common on these threads.
Libertarian arguments for drug legalization don't work. They didn't work, they don't work, and they won't work.
You a complete dofus, or what? It maters not who or what party makes the arguments. Could you be any more blatant in your ignorance?
Sorry to be so harsh, but you guys need a new pony trick.
What would that be -- turn a blind eye to reality as you have done? The WOD propaganda is increasingly falling on deaf ears -- which you can't handle that.
You're so wrong, long ago you ran out of feet to shoot. What are you going to do, bleed on us?
You're a hoot!
BTW, I'm not a libertarian and I will support their right to say as they chose. I certainly will not debase myself by using your ignorant tactics.
I am not in agreement with how some of these stats are gathered also. Like the guy that had a beer, is broadsided and killed, and the cause of death is alcohol related. Doesn't matter that the other car ran the light. And the fact that there is far too much litigation in effect and far too many PC anti-smokers for the tobacco deaths to not be suspect.
But we have better policing today. Computers in squad-cars, cell phones, Ipods, etc.
Market forces be dam*ed, and individual liberty be dam*ed. Eventually this war "will" be won and we'll all learn to respect their 'authori-tye'.
The big stat here is zero deaths from marijuana. It is safe.
Why do you think it is illegal?
Preach all you want about the virtues of meth and it's users, I aint buying it.
You are dishonest.
I'll say it again: you are dishonest.
I never perched the virtues of meth. You know you've never read me preaching the virtues of meth. You are so dishonest that you will do anything but post a quote where I preached the virtues of meth. You trapped yourself. So be it. Your problem -- not mine.
It's called obeying the law.
The WOD, the drug warriors are fighting a war against inanimate objects and are losing/failing miserably.
But alas, it isn't a war on inanimate objects/drugs. It's a war on people. You support wagging war against people while using the thinly veiled excuse that it's a war on drugs.
Not just not good, but bad. Was referring to the "not harming the user". The user is not the only one involved, so is the cook and those around him.
Which can't happen while it's illegal.
I would like to think the demand would never warrant a plant, but you never know.
Part of the problem with the legalization issue is all the things that keep getting added in. Meth is nothing but deadly.
You don't know me, Miss Cleo. I might have said one thing that was wrong, and I apologize, but a few posts up you told me all about what I think about the WOD and all kinda stuff...when you don't even have a clue. And I didn't complain.
Where did I say that?
Many, thanks to you for posting that picture.
It's called obeying the law.
And when there becomes a law that says you must live the rest of your life in excruciating pain you'll agree that it's best for you to obey the law. Despite it causing you excruciating pain.
The frightening thing is that you think your argument is valid. Probably even when it can kill you.
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