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To: <1/1,000,000th%
The war on drugs has reduced the number of hard drug users in the US.

In 2012, the US drug survey (first started in 2002) found that 8.9% of the American population 12 and over had used illicit drugs in the last 30 days. That is an overall change from the late 1970's estimates of about 9.5%. I don't think ANYONE in their right mind would consider a .6% decrease over a three decade, trillion-dollar cost a "success!"

More importantly, we have not seen a significant decrease in drug-babies nor have illicit overdoses decreased. Both of these were MAJOR PR reasons for charging, head-strong into the WOD. As a matter of fact, illicit drug overdoses have INCREASED 540% since 1980!

It is NOT the business of the government to keep me safe from ME! IF I drink alcohol and then drive, there are consequences for my actions - which should be the same for currently illicit drugs.

More importantly, who here that support the WOD also support the Gun Control measures which Obama want? All of the arguments you are making about how drugs adversely affect peoples lives, hurt children, could hurt others, etc... are the EXACT SAME LAME EXCUSES the Dems are attempting to use to strip us of our 2nd Amendment rights!
59 posted on 02/13/2013 9:48:40 PM PST by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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To: ExTxMarine
In 2012, the US drug survey (first started in 2002) found that 8.9% of the American population 12 and over had used illicit drugs in the last 30 days. That is an overall change from the late 1970's estimates of about 9.5%. I don't think ANYONE in their right mind would consider a .6% decrease over a three decade, trillion-dollar cost a "success!"

Not sure where you get your numbers from but I'll share with you what I know.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health was performed initially in 1971 by Nixon's National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse and is now an annual event sponsored by SAMHSA. Illegal drug use peaked in 1979 with 14.1% of the population 12 years and older using drugs in the previous 30 days. The 2012 survey results are not yet available, but the 2011 survey results reported that 8.7% of the population 12 years and older using drugs in the previous 30 days.

This is a decrease in the rate of illegal drug use of 38%! This would be an enormous success for anyone much less for the Federal government. Since most of their programs tend to be colossal failures.

Drug use during pregnancy was first reported in a survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 1992. They reported that just over 5% of pregnant mothers used illegal drugs. The NSDUH survey from 2008 reported 4.3%.

Another decrease in rate of use. This time of 14%!

Finally your 540% increase for drug overdoses seems to be another complete fabrication. Nowhere in the literature can I find such a claim.

I assume you're referring to this CDC report based on the dates you used. However this report also includes poisoning deaths due to things like carbon monoxide poisoning, something that was never intended to be addressed by the War on Drugs.

In fact, data on overdoses due to the use of illegal drugs seems to have been swamped by overdoses due to legal drugs. Now that more states have been trying to make marijuana legal, I believe that data on overdoses of illegal drugs will be lost entirely.

I suspect you're involved in one of these harm reduction groups. You only care about your "right" to do whatever you want regardless of the damage and cost to others.

The War on Drugs was an attempt to prevent people from getting lost in the drug underclass. Drug using workers have a higher incidence of involuntary absences from work. 32% of drug using workers lose their jobs due to degrading work performance and unsafe events on the job. They start jumping to increasingly lower salary jobs until they drop out of the work force. The rest of us pay for this in increased prices.

In Chicago, 82% of persons arrested test positive for illegal drugs. 35% of these are using multiple illegal drugs. Since they can't work, they're forced to steal from the rest of us so they can get the money they need to satisfy their addictions. In 1989, a New York city study found that 67% of DUI suspects were taking 2 or more illegal drugs. Putting the safety of the rest of us at risk.

I stand by my original comment.

If your user name is correct, I thank you for your service and pray you get help for your addictions.

68 posted on 02/15/2013 1:21:39 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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