Posted on 11/19/2002 10:08:54 PM PST by Cultural Jihad
A long time ago, I bought into the Reaganazi drug war propaganda. Most people around me, both conservative and liberal, still do. Needless to say, reading libertarian and liberal (TRUE LIBERALS...NOT "WE ARE WIMPS WHO CAVE INTO NEO-CONSERVATIVE BIGOTS" LIBERALS) has greatly changed my perspective on the issue, and I have come to a number of conclusions:
1. A fix percentage of society will become addicted to such substances as alcohol, nicotine, and whatever is contained in drugs regardless of any sort of government prohibition.
2. The War on All Drugs Not Controlled by Government Lobby Groups (yep, that's really all it is) has been responsible for much of the gangster and terrorist activity currently existing in the world. Illicit drugs sold at insane black-market prices make them filthy rich. A government-regulated drug market ... would put a damper on much of their profits, making terrorism and organised crime far more difficult.
3. The US government would not be depriving impoverished people of an easy source of a living wage. (from growing drug crops)
4. As the government would regulate the drug market similar to the way in which the sale of liquor is regulated in the province of Ontario (licenced liquor stores), prices would plunge (preventin the sort of suicidal desperation seen now) and the streets would become far cleaner. As well, drugs would not be tainted with dangerous substances.
5. The prison population would not be as overcrowded with drug "offenders". This would make it easier to properly punish and rehabilitate murderers, white-collar thieves, blue-collar thieves, violent criminals, and sex offenders (to me a sex offense does not exist if the "offense" occurs between two consenting adults).
6. Government's would spend less money on those stupid drug ads discussing scenarios that only exist when they (like any other controlled substance) are abused or because the laws on the books force drugs into the black market.
7. Marijuana has an addiction rate of 9%. In comparison, alcohol has an addiction rate of 15% and tobacco of 25%.
8. It is not the government's business to regulate what people do to themselves or (with consenting adults) in their bedroom. End of story.
Until then we'll just keep flushing money down the toilet in the impossible attempt to save people from themselves.
I shoulda known, there was a catch.
2. The War on All Drugs Not Controlled by Government Lobby Groups (yep, that's really all it is) has been responsible for much of the gangster and terrorist activity currently existing in the world. Illicit drugs sold at insane black-market prices make them filthy rich. A government-regulated drug market ... would put a damper on much of their profits, making terrorism and organised crime far more difficult.
Oh, right. The black market will disappear without a wimper. Guess again.
3. The US government would not be depriving impoverished people of an easy source of a living wage. (from growing drug crops)
Let other countries turn their citizens into zombies. The world doesn't need two Hollands.
4. As the government would regulate the drug market similar to the way in which the sale of liquor is regulated in the province of Ontario (licenced liquor stores), prices would plunge (preventin the sort of suicidal desperation seen now) and the streets would become far cleaner. As well, drugs would not be tainted with dangerous substances.
Sheee-yit. Government regulation causes prices to soar, not plunge. What have you been smoking?
5. The prison population would not be as overcrowded with drug "offenders". This would make it easier to properly punish and rehabilitate murderers, white-collar thieves, blue-collar thieves, violent criminals, and sex offenders (to me a sex offense does not exist if the "offense" occurs between two consenting adults).
Bullsh*t. The prison population of rapists would decline if we legalized rape, too. You might not give a rip about your wife or daughter's safety but I care about mine.
6. Government's would spend less money on those stupid drug ads discussing scenarios that only exist when they (like any other controlled substance) are abused or because the laws on the books force drugs into the black market.
It's not about the black market or government spending, it's about creating a nation of zombies. Zombies who drive.
7. Marijuana has an addiction rate of 9%. In comparison, alcohol has an addiction rate of 15% and tobacco of 25%.
It's not about the addiction rate. It's about the potency. A guy can drink a couple of beers after work and still drive safely. The same guy would get looped on one joint. But I repeat myself.
8. It is not the government's business to regulate what people do to themselves or (with consenting adults) in their bedroom. End of story.
As if people will get stoned and stay in their bedrooms all day. What a crock.
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