I don't much care about pot one way or the other but the pro-drug side wants to treat someone possessing drugs like the date rape drugs or selling PCP which will make people insane the same as that little kid selling weed in the park.
Also a park is a public place ---- I can't just go set up a hot-dog stand in the park, why should drug dealers be allowed to turn parks into drug stores?
The current tactics are not helping the problem. In fact, it lumps in weed with the dangerous stuff, tells ridiculous and obvious lies about marijuana that makes the kids not listen when methedrine or PCP is brought up.
Illegality and enhanced penalties have not worked. I think some factual education (not propaganda) would make legalization a more realistic approach. When you could buy it for ten cents a gram, snorting cocaine would have a lot less snob appeal. Especially if you knew what excessive-one-time or continued use could do to you. It would become a grubby little vice with little to be said for it.
Also a park is a public place ---- I can't just go set up a hot-dog stand in the park, why should drug dealers be allowed to turn parks into drug stores?
I'm not saying they should. Besides, were it sold legally the "independents" would likely dry up. You don't see kids hawking beers in the park. No profit in it.
We have adequate laws and punishments to cover most every situation you discussed. Rape is illegal and should be. If somebody goes crazy ala PCP there are numerous laws to cover it - assault, reckless endangerment, etc. People stealing should be arrested for robbery, burglary or whatever other crime they commit.
The government's current approach is flat stupid, and worse, dishonest. "Narco-terrorism" is a cheap attempt to cash in on people's hate and contempt for political terrorists. The thugs they're discussing aren't trying to make political statements, they're trying to make a buck. They might as well call Al Capone an "alco-terrorist".
Al Capone cried the day they repealed Prohibition. He also began to immediately move into narcotics - because it was still illegal !
Again, before they go to work on vices (WOsD) I want every burglar, robber, con-man, rapist and murderer caught and punished.