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Paranoid American drug czar should butt out
The Province (Canada) ^ | December 15, 2002 | Jim McNulty

Posted on 12/17/2002 7:17:04 AM PST by MrLeRoy

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To: MrLeRoy
So? That doesn't stop you from wanting the legalization of all drugs, does it? Even the addictive ones. Even the lethal ones. Even the dangerous ones.

There is a distinction. You just don't draw one, so why should anyone else?

41 posted on 12/17/2002 9:06:19 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
That doesn't stop you from wanting the legalization of all drugs, does it? Even the addictive ones. Even the lethal ones. Even the dangerous ones.

Correct---including the lethal, addictive drugs alcohol and tobacco. Just because I draw a distinction between marijuana and other drugs, it in no way follows that I must favor different laws.

There is a distinction. You just don't draw one

Liar. I already pointed out how often I've drawn it.

42 posted on 12/17/2002 9:10:21 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: MrLeRoy
"the federal WOsD is unconstitutional."

Is that a fact? I'm sure you can point out a ruling to support that statement. I can, and have, pointed out numerous court rulings that have found, unanimously, that it is constitutional.

Or, are you just saying that, in your opinion, it's unconstitutional? If so, you may want to add IMO next time. You're giving people the impression you know something they don't.

43 posted on 12/17/2002 9:17:15 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: MrLeRoy
I was referring to the distinction regarding legalization, which was the original subject back in post #26. You draw none.

I agree with you that there is a distinction between marijuana and other drugs when it comes to addictiveness, lethality, etc.

44 posted on 12/17/2002 9:23:46 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
I'm sure you can point out a ruling to support that statement.

I can do better: the Tenth Amendment.

I can, and have, pointed out numerous court rulings that have found, unanimously, that it is constitutional.

So what? As true conservatives recognize, the courts have been pissing on the Constitution for years (cf. Roe v Wade).

45 posted on 12/17/2002 9:27:39 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: robertpaulsen
All drugs should not be legalized. I do believe that M.J. should be legal, but drugs like Coke, Heroin & Opium should not be. Come on R.P. there's a big difference between Pot & hard narcotics, you know that.
46 posted on 12/17/2002 9:27:59 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: MrLeRoy
Are the owners of the Seagrams or Budweiser companies championing individual freedom or liberty or are they just out for money?

Money, however the last time I checked its legal and regulated.

The rest of you don't have to---the rest of you choose to. I recommend a different choice.

Really, could you please tell that to the IRS.

47 posted on 12/17/2002 9:28:36 AM PST by usurper
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To: hgro
"Canada has a big drug problem and in a typically Canadian manner, act as if they are the land of the righteous and enlightened."

US has a big drug problem and in a typically US manner, act as if they are the land of the righteous and enlightened.

48 posted on 12/17/2002 9:36:24 AM PST by monday
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To: DWPittelli
Bad analogy, since there was an Amendment which outlawed alcohol, but there was never an Amendment which outlawed drugs."

No, good analogy.

There was never an amendment outlawing a woman's right to vote, or an eighteen-year-old's either. Yet the XIX and the XXVI were passed.

As to the rest, I don't hear people talking about the War on Marijuana, do you? I hear the War on Drugs. On what grounds can you favor the federal legalization of marijuana but not other drugs (without being a hypocrite)?

I don't see any inconsistency in my position. Vote to pass an amendment or change the laws and I'll honor the outcome.

49 posted on 12/17/2002 9:38:38 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
I was referring to the distinction regarding legalization, which was the original subject back in post #26.

No, it wasn't. Here's the text: "What is critical," says United Church minister Bill Blaikie, "is that we make the distinction between cannabis and other drugs, and our drug war doesn't do that."

50 posted on 12/17/2002 9:42:07 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: HELLRAISER II
M.J. should be legal, but drugs like Coke, Heroin & Opium should not be.

Why not?

51 posted on 12/17/2002 9:43:07 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: robertpaulsen
""Ending the WOD will allow the government to 'invest' those billions of dollars into __________, which is much better than 'wasting' it in an attempt to keep harmful drugs out of our society."

Sadly they will just waste the money on something else that is counter productive to society as a whole. You can count on politicians to do the worst thing in any given circumstance. We would be better off if politicians had no money to spend on anything.

52 posted on 12/17/2002 9:43:25 AM PST by monday
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To: usurper
the last time I checked its legal and regulated.

As other drugs should be.

Really, could you please tell that to the IRS.

I have a better idea: you tell it to your congresscritter. Using one infringement of individual rights as a rationale for further infringements is not a conservative argument.

53 posted on 12/17/2002 9:45:20 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: robertpaulsen
On what grounds can you favor the federal legalization of marijuana but not other drugs (without being a hypocrite)?

Grounds? Isn't it enough that marijuana is less harmful than most other illegal drugs? (And indeed, alcohol.) Why is it hypocritical to think that that matters?

54 posted on 12/17/2002 9:47:03 AM PST by DWPittelli
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To: Hemingway's Ghost
The article had nothing to do with states rights. The quote "our drug war" referred to Canada's drug war.

When it comes to Federal government involvement, I stated that you make no distinction between marijuana and other drugs, and you don't.

I have no idea how the states will make the distinction (and I agree there is one), assuming they ever get the opportunity.

55 posted on 12/17/2002 9:47:57 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
There was never an amendment outlawing a woman's right to vote, or an eighteen-year-old's either.

It wasn't the federal government preventing women and 18-year-olds from voting, whereas it IS the federal government conducting the federal WOsD.

56 posted on 12/17/2002 9:51:52 AM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: robertpaulsen
There was never an amendment outlawing a woman's right to vote, or an eighteen-year-old's either. Yet the XIX and the XXVI were passed.

Yes, in order for the federal government to force the states to allow women and 18-20 year olds to vote, an Amendment was passed. And in order to repeal the (nationwide) Prohibition Amendment, another Amendment was passed.

That does not mean that to legalize drugs at the federal level an Amendment would have to be passed. Even under a strictly federal system (which I would favor, but which has been sadly leacking since FDR's presidency) an Amendment legalizing drugs would only be needed if the federal government wanted to not only legalize drugs at the federal level, but also make it unconstitutional for the states to keep drugs illegal. I'd leave drug laws -- like virtually all the criminal code -- up to the states. So I do not need to advocate a constitutional Amendment.

57 posted on 12/17/2002 9:54:42 AM PST by DWPittelli
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To: MrLeRoy
Usually i'm on your side and lord know's i'm no angel but I could not in good conscience advocate the use of these hard narcotics. They are drugs that are physically addictive & easy to O.D. on, some people get hooked on them and it ruins there lives or flat out kills them. No I don't think that I could call for a full legalization on all drugs, I don't want my kids or yours to be hooked on that $hit.
58 posted on 12/17/2002 10:01:40 AM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: HELLRAISER II
Of course there is, and I've posted as such (#44 and #55). I agree that one can make a distinction between marijuana and other drugs.

That said, my point to MrLeRoy and HG was that they are the ones who make no distiction between marijuana and other drugs when calling for federal legalization.

59 posted on 12/17/2002 10:02:58 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen
I'm sorry, what Amendment was it that instituted drug prohibition?
60 posted on 12/17/2002 10:03:44 AM PST by jayef
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