In a previous life I worked in LEO specifically narcotics. I have extensive experience in seeing what dope does not only to user, but the family and community, so I chuckle at folks who like to say it isn’t that bad, it is my body, mind your business, what I do at home... yada yada.
That said, I hated arresting anyone for a quantity of MJ under an amount that I considered distributable, it sucked. It clogs our jails, creates mountains of paperwork for me on a BS arrest, creates a criminal record for someone, and creates an bad relationship between LEO and community (in some cases, also in some cases I did not care). Very rarely does that person actually flip and become a useful informant but that is why we had to pursue them to get into the upper tier.
I do like that most of the now-a-days arrests for possession amounts of MJ are really just issued summons like a traffic ticket. I do feel different about Schedule 1 and 2 substances. Hammer those folks on any amount above a trace/residue. That stuff is just evil and I have seen that first hand so nobody will ever convince me different.
I felt that if employers, membership groups, teams, or other entities did not want you using it was upon them to do drug testing or whatever to guarantee their rights. This goes hand in hand with tort reform to protect them from frivolous lawsuit for dismissals for abuse.
In a way this is already done. Without going into a big description and risk starting a whole new argument on acceptance of tattoos, piercings etc... You can see what usage does when a person uses follows that life and dresses like an idiot (South Pole type clothes, hats on side ways, not bathing, wearing pajamas all day, dirty clothes, baggy pants, skin tight clothes on tweaker girls), tattoos and piercings, poor communications skills. They work in temp jobs, menial labor, window foods service (at lessor chains). They need to realize that nobody wants them to represent their business, but they moan and groan about having to work those jobs. Yes I know their are people who have beat the “man’s oppressive system” and use all the while employed or start their own business and some become very successful (Apple, Hollywood, sports). I submit that is the exception and luck played a major role.
Ultimately I feel the WOD is necessary but needs to be integrated with our immigration policy (or lack thereof). Build a fence, a real fence and shutdown the borders. Dry up the supply side and demand will take its course. Everything coming in is suspect until cleared. That is one area of government I don’t mind growing.
As far as domestic drugs, continue policing pre-cursor chemicals and chase the manufacturers and users here, hard.
Example, my sons were in Afghanistan for multiple tours and tell me about walking through the poppy fields and being given standing orders not to touch or disrupt that “business”. Get serious? You want to stop heroin, Afghanistan is responsible for 3/4 of the worlds illicit supply. Agent orange the stuff, problem solved, but our leaders spout the drivel that it will cause them to hate us for killing their livelihood and turn to the Taliban or others for means to live. BS! BS! They hate us now and they work for the Taliban who do they think gets the money, freaking oxygen thieves have no clue.
I need to stop I am getting wound up and am starting to see tangents. :)
No, what you saw were users who used to a degree of irresponsibility that LE got involved. LE in general often has occasion to deal with drunks, but we would be flat wrong in supposing that most users of the addictive mind-altering drug alcohol are like those encountered by LE.
And what did you see dope do to the community?