In the War on Drugs, everyone's a loser

Denver Post ^ | July 06, 2003 | Michael Holzmeister

[toothless]

I have a love/hate relationship with the War on Drugs.

It provides such a wealth of subject matter to write about that I shudder to think what might happen if it were suddenly declared over. I might be forced into writing about positive subjects instead.

The War on Drugs has had a profound effect on me. I used to be a proud Republican, but the more I listened to law-and-order Republicans chatter about the dire need for ever more enforcement of the controlled-substance laws, the more Libertarian I became.

I'm still a registered Republican over at the courthouse, but in the voting booth, the Republicans have lost me.

I never pass up an opportunity to write about the War on Drugs. Every time the local drug warriors do anything, I perk right up because invariably one of the warriors is going to say something that makes no sense.

At the city council meeting a couple of weeks ago, our local regiment of drug warriors got up to report on their operations for the last three years. The chief of police - who I believe is a good cop and citizen - told the council that waging war on drugs is difficult. The warriors have rules to follow, the chief explained, and those rules cause problems.

Now I know that the chief believes in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but it scares me when a drug warrior wearing a badge and a gun stands up at a public meeting and says that the document that makes us Americans causes him problems.

You have to admit, though, the chief is exactly right. It would be so much easier if the soldiers fighting the War on Drugs could break down every door on every house in town and conduct searches. Imagine the drugs they would find.

If drugs are as big a scourge as the warriors would have us believe, they are going to need a convoy of trucks to haul all the illegal substances away. Oh, and for the people without any drugs but who were searched anyway, just try to remember that the Bill of Rights causes too many problems to be of much value when it comes to waging the War on Drugs.

The War on Drugs is confusing for the soldiers fighting it. The local warriors made a bust here a couple of years ago, and they wanted to keep it secret. I don't like secrets, especially when someone has been thrown in jail. I wanted to know who was arrested and why the person was arrested. The old undersheriff was reluctant to share that information with the newspaper.

He explained that if word were to get out in the paper that a bust had been made, then the other drug dealers would lay low and stop selling drugs. If they're not selling drugs, it's just that much harder to catch them.

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.

Do the warriors actually want to win the war?

If they don't want to win the war, it's time to cease operations, reinstate our rights and try something different. I'm doing my part; I vote Libertarian. Libertarians believe drugs should be legal.

If drugs were legal, our army of drug warriors could stand down and save us huge amounts of money. The soldiers could return to police work, serving and protecting us instead of suspecting us. Instead of gangsters making a killing, legitimate business people could be making a living.

If you're afraid that legalizing drugs would make them more available than they are now, think again. Drugs are easy to find - ask any drug warrior - yet the vast majority of people choose not to buy them. There are better ways to spend time and money.

The War on Drugs is a resounding failure. Drugs still flow freely. The War on Drugs has had some success, however. It has successfully battled the Constitution and helped to quash our freedom.

[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.