A lot of people have been hoping that once all the childish name-calling and attacks from the Rush-hating left subsided that maybe, just maybe, this would be the point where the entire drug war would be reconsidered. After all, if someone like Rush could get caught up in it, it could happen to anyone. Instead the conservatives have decided to rationalize this as being different because these were "legal" drugs, and that somehow addiction is cleaner and more acceptable if the product originates from a pharmacy instead of an indoor hydroponics operation or imported from Columbia. The drug war has failed, just like the war on poverty failed.
Sorry, but there is a difference. becoming addicted to a substance because one has chronic back pain is far different then becoming addicted because you hang out with n'er do wells and partied all the time so you got hooked.
The drug war has failed, just like the war on poverty failed.
That may be true. But you libertarians and libertarian/conservatives need to wake up and consider all the ugly fun liberals could have with a populace more dependent on drugs-- giving them more welfare, more social security, more free drugs and needles for the "poor" addicts, skyrocketing medical costs for overdosers et al.
If you think that's all automatically going to transfer itself into "smaller government" than you have certainly once again underestimated liberals and their mischief.