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To: robertpaulsen

That was an easy question, you're baiting me right?

First, I would apply legalization to all drugs. Those like cocaine and methamphetamines would be labeled "Poison" and anyone who dies as a result of their abuse will have said to committed suicide. I will expound at end...

Second, by legalizing all drugs you have done the following: Removed a lucrative black market that has turned our inner cities into factories of death. You don't see kids selling alcohol and ciggarettes on the street, and if they did.. they don't make enough money to finance gangs and their weaponry. Everybody has heard of Al Capone and for that matter Joe Kennedy (father of Kennedy Clan). You would never had heard of them if alcohol hadn't been prohibited at one point.

Third, the only reason "numbers" increased as you say they did in Alaska is because people would not be hesitant to state they used it in a survey once it was legal.

Fourth, Everyone knows where to get pot or someone who can get it. Go ask any kid of any age and they will tell you who to get it from. It's all over the place, there is no avoiding it. It is so prevailant that it would be impossible to get rid of... how has the "War on Drugs" done so far? Nothing... 100s of billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars spent... 70% of our prisoners up on drug charges... and there has never been a reduction in supply or use.

What to do if legalized:

1. Make it a felony to give drugs to minors. Just like alcohol should be. I remember it being difficult to get booze and easy to get drugs in high school.

2. All Under the influence laws would apply.

3. Tax it and spend taxes on rehab and education.

4. Legalize all drugs with massive spending on advertisements explaining what they do. Poor kids in middle America are destroying themselves with paint, gasoline, and glue... all readily and legally available.. but with no idea what they are doing to their brains.

5. Those who die as a result of drug use will have been considered to have committed suicide (no life insurance applies)

I say either make everything Illegal and show me how you prevent it from being used and being a lucrative black market that generates 80% of the crime and gun deaths in our society, or make it legal and as safe as you can. I cannot see supporting the current Status Quo at any rate... This drug legal, this drug illegal... War on Drugs that can never win given any scenario....


397 posted on 12/29/2004 2:43:05 PM PST by Blast_Master
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To: Blast_Master
War on Drugs that can never win given any scenario....

With the possible exception of turning America into a police state (a scenario some WODdites seem to have no problem with).

401 posted on 12/30/2004 9:38:00 AM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Blast_Master
Ah. So your bit about a "non-physically addictive weed whose mild effects include increased appetite and a euphoric feeling" was ... what? A mistake? Not what you really meant?

Here I thought you were just talking about the legalization of harmless little weeds, and making those of us who are against drugs look like uncompromising extremists.

Lo and behold, enter the real extremist who wants to legalize all drugs. You realize this position puts you among maybe .001% of the population who feel this way?

Legalize all drugs and the gangs would go away? In your dreams.

If they wouldn't be selling to minors they'd be exporting our now-legal recreational drugs to every nation on the globe. Oh, that wouldn't be allowed? Who's gonna stop them -- the DEA is no more. Oh, you'd keep the DEA? Better quadruple their numbers -- they've got a big job to do.

"Everyone knows where to get pot or someone who can get it."

True. In every survey, teens say marijuana is easier to get than alcohol.

Yet, teens use alcohol 2:1 over pot. Why is that? Could it be because alcohol is legal (for adults) and therefore has an implied acceptance by society? And you want this for all drugs?

"100s of billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars spent"

The federal government spends about $11 billion per year on the WOD. Half of that money goes for drug treatment and anti-drug advertising and the other half towards border patrol and overseas drug interdiction.

"70% of our prisoners up on drug charges.

Geez. Where do you get your numbers? In the United States we have about 2 million people in jail and prison. Of that 2 million, 450,000 are there on drug charges, primarily for dealing drugs. That's 22%, not 70%.

"Tax it and spend taxes on rehab and education"

Let's tax it the way we do cigarettes. Tax it high and drive the product underground, then use the revenue for the general fund.

404 posted on 12/30/2004 10:37:40 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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