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No supply = ex-drug addicts. When Afghanistan is closed, so is the drug store.

Nope, sorry. But thanks for playing.

If Afghanistan's poppy production shuts down, someone else will easily pick up the slack. If it costs them more to do it, they'll just past the cost onto the "consumer". As long as their is a demand, someone will always supply. So if you want to lower hard drug use, you need to address the demanders (And no, the answer isn't "Lock all drug users up forever". We need those jails for actual criminals, like rapists and murderers.)

I imagine that the Russians wouldn't have such a drug use problem if their society and economy wasn't such a wreck right now. Instead of relying on the "eyes wide shut" tactics of the War on Drugs, maybe we should actually be helping the Russians to help themselves. Partner with them to more effectively exploit their resources (which they still have a LOT of), help them get out from under the grip of the Russian Mafia, and just make their quality of life a lot better.

When their situation isn't so atrocious, I'm sure THAT will have a much more tangible effect on their hard drug use than substance interdiction ever could have. You take their opium away, and someone will introduce a NEW drug into the equation. The only way a "War On Drugs" style campaign could ever be won is to exist in a facist police state.

Of course, some people here would prefer to live in a facist police state. The burden of freedom with responsibility and free thought are too much for them sometimes ;-)

So let me understand this. Russia becomes more like America, and their drug problem stops? MORE wealthy, with more social programs and benefits...and they don't use heroin anymore? Oh. Did this work here? I agree that demand is at the root of it-what is in people's hearts- just like gun crime here....it doesn't shoot by itself...but if one can buy the stuff easily, and it's totally uncontrolled...then, short of chaining them into churches...all you can really do is pinch the supply. No? I am not supporting a police state by any means, and know that the firearm issue is more essential to maintaining freedom and democracy, but hey, this is drugs, deadly ones, that make people into dying, theiving vampires. Get the stuff away from them, and let 'em sweat it out. Then use your socialization skills and programs to address their internal problems. The ones ramaining out there finding other drugs, somehow, can be identified by their burned fingers, from soaking their cigarettes in gasoline. They are worse off, and you probably won't keep them from their graves anyway. At least it isn't part of an industry.