Tsar admits: we've lost the war on drugs

The Scotsman ^ | Sun 18 Jun 2006 | MARCELLO MEGA AND KATE FOSTER

[SittinYonder]

While this is a cop-out, I (like so many others) do not have an easy solution (such as lock them all up and throw away the key; or as in your case, "let's just execute them) but somehow, somewhere, there HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY

You don't have to like my solution, but I still think it's the only alternative for winning the war on drugs. Nothing else has worked - including very long prison sentences for traffickers who, when they get out, have lost all of their possessions to the government; imposing laws that individuals convicted of any drug crime lose certain rights permanently and face fines, jail time, community service, loss of their drivers licenses and a myriad of other penalties.

I agree with Wood that the WOD is lost so we've got to either find a way to win it or just stop fighting it.

[SittinYonder]

Whether or not I'm willing to kill a 14-year-old isn't the point. The point is that the WOD is a failure. My suggestion is that to win the war on drugs we must make possession a capital offense. Do with that what you want.

[tacticalogic]

Whether or not I'm willing to kill a 14-year-old isn't the point. The point is that the WOD is a failure. My suggestion is that to win the war on drugs we must make possession a capital offense. Do with that what you want.

Fair enough.

[durasell]

I would argue that we are not fighting the good fight ... we are growing the government both in terms of size, cost and authority. And we are no winning. There must be another solution.



I have met guys who are engaged in the fight. And they are to be admired. They aren't simply "the gubmint," but guys risking their lives in an effort most people think is failing.

The other solutions might come from technology and science and diplomacy. New ways to detect drugs coming in, new treatments for addicts, and new ways of dealing with drug exporting countries. The thing with drugs, as far as I can see, is that it's not one of those problems that has a magic button you can push to make it go away. They probably won't ever go way. We just need to do the best we can.

[investigateworld]

Good post.

[KoRn]

"My ex-wife's quack doctor has her on an anti-depressant called Cymbalta."

OH YEAH!! My doctor had me try that for pain(for some reason), and it was unbearable. I didn't last a week on that 'medicine'.

[SittinYonder]

I have met guys who are engaged in the fight.

The sheriff in my county is my best friend. I am friends with many of his detectives and deputies. I know many of the people on the regional drug task force. I know FBI agents and DEA agents. None of them are bad people. They are just enforcing bad policy. And the honest ones will tell you that.

[The_Reader_David]

You held up Singapore as an example. Not only do they use draconian punishments, they do not have anything corresponding to the first, second, fourth or fifth amendments.

[highball]

Why didn't Singapore lose its war on drugs?

Singapore is not a free society.

In a free society such as ours, you cannot prevent the people from doing what they want with their own lives.

[Ken H]

Heroin in Singapore v The Netherlands:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1651454/posts?page=64#64

And in Islamic Iran:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1651454/posts?page=76#76

[LonghornFreeper]

I have long said that the only way we will win the war on drugs is if we impose the death penalty for possession. Others have suggested it is unreasonable and harsh, and maybe it is, but you can't win a war without piling up some bodies.

Yeah, have fun with that. I have many friends who have smoked marijuana in the past. They are productive members of society now (most of them were even while they were smoking). Some of them even sold small quantities of the drug. Right now you drug warriors only have to face the cartels (many of whom wouldn't exist if marijuana was legalized). If you want to try Islamic tactics (execution for minor crimes) go ahead, but there are many gun owning freedom lovers like myself left who will fight back, hard. The bodies won't only pile up on one side.

[LonghornFreeper]

Why didn't Singapore lose its war on drugs?
Maybe because Singapore is a dictatorship, and the US and Scotland are not? We could probably get rid of all drug users also, if we threw away the Constitution and just went for it.

[durasell]

Well, I can't argue with you there. Maybe the law enforcement thing needs to be re-thought and guys on the frontlines better equipped. Maybe it's got to be some kind of comprehensive plan with law enforcement, medical, judges, etc.

But the thing is -- we can't give up on it and we can't panic. America has to be relentless in this thing.

[LonghornFreeper]

Execute a few of those cute, upper-class college girls for possession and pretty soon the WOD is won.

Your knowledge of drugs probably comes from movies and government commercials, so you think that everyone who has ever used drugs is a weakling stoner who can't fight back, but I assure you that is not the case.

I have had several close female friends who have occasionally used drugs, while working and causing no harm to anyone (not really upper class, just middle class). What you don't seem to grasp is that if you tried to execute them, there are still some people left who believe in freedom, who would fight back. I would not hesitate to bring the fight to those who are trying to execute people who have done no harm to anyone. If you want to try murdering your fellow Americans because of your obsession, go ahead. You might even win, at the cost of living in a police state, but don't think that there will not be much blood shed on your side also, before it is over.

[TheOracleAtLilac]

How 'bout massive policy change by the The Fed

delegate enforcement of the pot laws to the states w/ suggestion to treat comparable to alcohol enforcement
Hard drugs - available by prescription...& very affordable.

[Almondjoy]

No actually it's not a strawman and here is why.

You are assuming that the WoT must be carried to it's moral conclusion. That we value people being off drugs so much that we would be willing to kill a couple of rich little girls in order to make the point.

I am simply carrying your dicussion to it's logical conclusion. That all things that we consider immoral because be enforced with death.

Lying, adultry, divorce, homosexuality... all must be fought with killing people in order to make the point.

[Almondjoy]

Ok forget adultry or divorce.

In order to stop robberies would you impose the death penalty as well?

Would you say that we have a war on theives?

[durasell]

I can't argue about pot. It's too large a swamp for me.

I wouldn't want to see hard drugs in circulation, even by prescription. However, there is promising research in addiction medications that blocks the desire for the drugs.

[TheOracleAtLilac]

Taking away the thrill/allure of "forbidden fruit" would go a long way to curb users - 'cept in da ghetto.

[durasell]

I don't know. You may very well be right. I would just hate to see that stuff become normalized in American society.