In the War on Drugs, everyone's a loser

Denver Post ^ | July 06, 2003 | Michael Holzmeister

[toothless]

Yawn, good reply.

[toothless]

"You can see how confusing the War on Drugs is. The object of the war is to stop the flow of drugs, but the drug warrior told me that the soldiers can conduct the war much better if the enemy continues selling drugs."

Good to see its working as intended now! Ms. Doc, do you derive any of your income from forced 'treatment'?

[toothless]

Gotta love DW logic, when you can't say anything about the content of an article, resort to strawmen and ad hominems.

[MaxPlus305]

Furthermore, we could up the penalties for those who commit drug-induced crimes. Stiff fines and punishment are a powerful deterrent.

And besides, do anti-legalization folks really think Americans are that stupid that they would just try dangerous, hallucogenic drugs just because they were legalized? How many people have resisted using PCP just because it wasn't legal? You can get high of ammonia fumes without fear of being caught--how many people here have done that? I haven't, because I value my brain cells. Legalizing drugs won't eliminate the personal consequences that come with taking them. The people who are going to go on a PCP spree if PCP is legalized are the same people who would've done it ANYWAY.

[bigfootbob]

Yeah, and the WOD is stopping such activities now. I'm old enough to remember pre-WOD days and we didn't have .10% of the social ills we are experiencing today. Cause and effect.

[BOOTSTICK]

It Amazing how all these Little "G" {Govt} Libertarins support a huge buracracy to provide free drugs to those who choose drugs as recreation. Funny, maybe the Govt can also subsidise my recreation { a new jet ski maybe}. What!!! you say??? the govt. won't be handing out free drugs to losers???, private industry will??? the market place you say? Sorry but there are no corperations willing to take on the collasal legal liability of legalized heroin, cocaine , and LSD. "Give me Librium, or Give me Meth" indeed!

[toothless]

the strawmen corps are out in force today I see.

[Monty22]

This crap can apply to any law that limits people. The 'war on murder' removes my right to kill people that get in my way. It's a real hassle.

The 'war on slavery'.. phew.. I can't have slaves, what a BITCH.

The 'war on drunk driving'. Damn, I won't hit anyone, I promise. Just stop hassling me.

The 'war on terrorism', don't get me started.

Laws just make it so hard to do whatever you want. I mean, who do these people think they are?

The 'war on fraud', the 'war on crime' in general really offends me, as I can't rob banks, rape, and cause general mayhem.

</sarcasm for those that are high and don't get it>

[Monty22]

"If drugs are decriminalized, leaving babies to die in trash cans will still be illegal.

If drugs are decriminalized, killing kids will still be illegal. "


Yeah yeah, but the problem is that YOUR side says laws don't stop anything. If the drug rates aren't going to change, then this shouldn't be an issue.

You can't have it both ways.. Saying how wonderful the world will be with easy to get heroin or whatever and then denying that any damage will occur because the laws will save us.

What a joke.

[Monty22]

The hypocrisy doesn't end there. Many of them support BIG TAXES on the drugs.

Where the hell else do you hear them talking about BIG TAXES on products or services?

[robertpaulsen]

"Legalizing current illegal drugs would take the profit out of it .... leaders would have to find something else to enrich them"

Gee, I wonder if it would ever occur to them to TAX IT.

Shhhh, let's not give them ideas, OK?

[M. Peach]

"Give me Librium, or Give me Meth" indeed!


I have to hand it to you - that is a great line. However, you mentioned the cost of a new bureacracy to provide free drugs. One wouldn't be needed. Can anyone here tell me the government's cost for the WOD's?

Do you think it might be a fair trade off to empty half the prisons of convicted drug peddlers or users, clear half the court calenders for drug offenses for selling or using - stop a vast majority of violent crime caused by the illegal selling of drugs?

Getting people to stop using drugs is like making laws to stop people from eating big macs or Oreos. Since they also give one pleasure and are also bad for you - do you advocate banning them too?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Do the warriors actually want to win the war?

Is a bear Catholic?

Does the Pope sleep in the woods?

[fporretto]

Monty, if your mind is truly open, consider this: Every war carries costs. The bigger the opponent, the bigger the costs. The longer the campaign, the bigger the costs.

The costs of the War on Drugs have been and still are astronomical. Not merely in countable dollars, but in lost liberties, lost privacy rights (e.g., bank secrecy laws), corruption of law enforcement, entanglement with the governments of other nations, and the use of law for pecuniary gain (i.e., asset forfeiture). Therefore, even if drug consumption rates were to remain unchanged after a repeal of the drug laws, the situation would have improved dramatically, for all those costs would come to a screeching halt.

I despise intoxicants and intoxication. I lost a brother to drugs; he was killed in a street shootout between drug gangs. But it is a lead-pipe cinch that he'd still be alive, even if he were stoned, had there been no War on Drugs. How many other American families could tell a similar tale, we may never know.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[DAnconia55]

But the libertarians get so much more joy out of bashing republicans.

Most GOP posters to FR are NOT in favor of the WOD.
Just a small number of extremely loud jackboot sniffers.

[DAnconia55]

And besides, do anti-legalization folks really think Americans are that stupid that they would just try dangerous, hallucogenic drugs just because they were legalized?

Oddly, it seems to be the same group that is spouting hatred of gays here.

They seem to think that LAW is the only thing that makes people be moral.

I guess if drugs and gay sex were legalized, they'd all run out and smoke crack and bugger each other.

[Monty22]

Do you honestly think there'd be no gangs or crime with drug laws repealed? I think the death rates would increase incredibly from driving accidents and overdose.

I also lost a relative to drug crime. Real nasty business to support, which apparently a lot of people have no problem with.

[toothless]

"Do you honestly think there'd be no gangs or crime with drug laws repealed? "

There are alot of drive-by shootings at my local Liquor Barn, thats for sure!

[Monty22]

Places still get robbed.. Crime won't stop from drug legalization. Lets watch Europe and Canada...

[toothless]

More strawmen.