Officers in Call to Legalise Use of Drugs

Edinburgh Evening News (UK) ^ | 14 Apr 2006

[Know your rights]

SCOTTISH police officers have sparked anger after calling for the legalisation of all drugs - including heroin and cocaine.

The Strathclyde Police Federation has called for a dramatic change of direction in the battle on drugs crime, and the issue will be debated later this month.

The body, which represents 7000 officers, is set to argue that all drugs should be licensed in the same way as cigarettes and alcohol. Officers claim this would cut drug deaths and divert police resources to other crime-fighting priorities. It is the first time that an organisation representing officers has made such a demand.

Opponents today said the move would only increase the availability of drugs. But the federation believes millions of pounds are wasted on enforcing existing laws, with little impact on the availability of drugs on the street.

Inspector Jim Duffy, chairman of the federation, said: "We are not winning the war against drugs and we need to think about different ways to tackle it."

The Scottish Executive said that drug legislation is reserved to Westminster.

[Dan Evans]

"Prohibition" was a misnomer, as personal production, possession, and consumption of alcohol was NOT prohibited.

In reading the Volstead Act, there is no exemption for manufacture for personal use, but there is a provision that allows possession, presumably for stuff that's already on the shelf when the law was passed.

Section 33 of the act is the only one which deals specifically with liquors lawfully acquired before it should take effect and it is therefore of first importance in the consideration of the case before us. That section declares:

'It shall not be unlawful to possess liquors in one's private dwelling while the same is occupied and used by him as his dwelling only and such liquor need not be reported, provided such liquors are for use only for the personal consumption of the owner thereof and his family residing in such dwelling and of his bona fide guests when entertained by him therein.'

[Gigantor]

...the idea to legalize all drugs is beyond ludicrous. The countries with the most lenient drug policies are seeing horrific results, as if that should come as a surprise.

The so 'war on drugs' has horrific results, too. Selling illegal-yet-readily-available black market drugs enriches gangs, crooked cops, politicians on the take.

Gangs arm themselves to the teeth and kill each other over turf - this spills over to entire sections of cities where society has broken down. Bodies found on a daily basis, children shot through windows at thier birthday party, and the law abiding residents prisoners and helpless in a war zone where the police are practically powerless.

Corruption is rampant through all levels of law enforcement and government directly due to enormous unprecedented black market drug profits.

Not to mention the erosion of Constituional protection from modern-day Redcoats: SWAT teams who lob flash-bang grenades into living rooms while serving no-knock warrants (many times at the wrong house) because some low-life gang member confidential informant pointed to a door. After violating the sanctity of an American's home sometimes find nothing more than a pot seed in the living room carpet--but that's enough for them to put the occupant in prison.

This is how all Black markets work, so it comes as no surprise that the Drug Black Market is the worst because it is the most lucrative.

And yet, illegal drugs are always available in every neighborhood across the land...

[garbanzo]

Then there are the long lasting health and psychological effects of long term drug use.

This isn't a legitimate concern of government. Lack of exercise is detrimental to health. It's not the government's job to make me exercise.

[garbanzo]

How many of these libertines who believe they should be allowed to do whatever turns their crank also believe the rest of us have a responsibility to pay for their spoon-feeding after they become invalids from drug abuse?

I can't speak for others, but you have no responsibility to take care of other people for any reason other than you feel like it.

[cripplecreek]

This isn't a legitimate concern of government. Lack of exercise is detrimental to health. It's not the government's job to make me exercise.

So we can just let them die in the street? I think you know that isn't going to be allowed to happen and I think you know who will get the bill.

[garbanzo]

So we can just let them die in the street? I think you know that isn't going to be allowed to happen and I think you know who will get the bill.

So we should just let fat people eat themselves to death? At what point do we simply use the power of state to prevent people from being any negative outcomes on themselves whatsoever? I'm perfectly willing to let anyone who lets themself get to the point where they're dead in the street die simply because at some point people have to take responsibility for their own lives.

[cripplecreek]

I'm perfectly willing to let anyone who lets themself get to the point where they're dead in the street die simply because at some point people have to take responsibility for their own lives.

Again, it's not going to happen and you know it.

[Gigantor]

Unfortunately the pro legal crowd always manages to overlook the realities.

I know a guy who was institutionalized about two years ago due to the brain damage he suffered with crack and meth use. His parents say that he'll spend the rest of his life having his diaper changed and spoon fed like a baby. The parents lost everything in trying to pay for his care and now Jr is a ward of the state till he dies in 20 or 30 years.

And the War on Drugs helped him how?

Who's overlooking the realities, again?

[garbanzo]

Again, it's not going to happen and you know it.

If you ask me what I "know", then I know this - that unless the public decides to wake up, the government will take more and more control over our lives in the name of protecting us from ourselves. If as a society we can't let people take the consequences of the own personal life choices then we have literally no hope to remain a free society.

[ccmay]

According to some FReepers I know, anyone arguing for drug decriminalization is undoubtedly a dirty pot smoking hippy himself, a traitor wishing for the destruction of American civilization, or both. I've been told so many times by the likes of robertpaulsen.

I wonder what the hard line Drug Warriors think is motivating these experienced police officers?

-ccm

[ccmay]

And how much of the prison population are drug offenders? Half? 60%?

Enough that the mighty prison-guard unions will NEVER allow decriminalization. They don't care if the War on Drugs kills more people than drugs themselves ever did. It's totally a rice-bowl issue to them. They want jobs for the boys and don't care what harm it does to the nation.

-ccm

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Where in the Constituion does it give the Feds authority to outlaw drugs?

Section. 8. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;...

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws; and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

[robertpaulsen]

"anyone arguing for drug decriminalization is undoubtedly ..."

Do you mean decriminalization or legalization? There is a difference.

Did I call you a dirty pot smoking hippy, a traitor wishing for the destruction of American civilization? Hmmmm. I don't remember using the word "dirty".

[robertpaulsen]

"Drugs should be made legal and illegal aliens made felons. Vast resources would be freed to pursue the illegal aliens."

Make all illegals citizens and open the borders -- vast resources would be freed to pursue the drug users.

Equally ludicrous.

[robertpaulsen]

"Where in the Constituion does it give the Feds authority to outlaw drugs?

''Congress can certainly regulate interstate commerce to the extent of forbidding and punishing the use of such commerce as an agency to promote immorality, dishonesty, or the spread of any evil or harm to the people of other States from the State of origin.''
-- Chief Justice Taft, Brooks v. US, 267 U.S. 432 (1925)

[robertpaulsen]

"With marijuana legal people would have no reason to come into contact with the really nasty guys..."

With all drugs legal (as called for in the article) the heroin and the cocaine and the methamphetamine will be on the store shelf right next to the marijuana.

But you'd have us believe that the legal marijuana users would never reach over to buy the legal cocaine -- there'd be no "gateway" effect if all drugs were legal.

[robertpaulsen]

"It should be legal, but solely within the confines of a private residence."

Yeah, like they did with marijuana in Alaska. That worked real well.

[robertpaulsen]

The consumption of alcohol did not go up after Prohibition was repealed because consumption was already up during Prohibition (1920-1933)! Alcohol consumption was at its lowest at the start of Prohibition.

[robertpaulsen]

"Enough that the mighty prison-guard unions will NEVER allow decriminalization ... It's totally a rice-bowl issue to them ... They want jobs for the boys ..."

But wait! I thought that releasing the drug criminals would make room for the real criminals, right? So the number of prisoners would stay the same and all the guards get to keep their jobs.

What's the issue?

[robertpaulsen]

"And how much of the prison population are drug offenders? Half? 60%?"

Of the 2 million in prison (state and federal), 400,000 are there on drug related charges. That's 20%. And almost all of them are there for drug dealing or drug trafficking -- not using.