[Puppage]

The treatment of addicts is not a reward.

So, the legalization of drugs is "treatment"? LOL.

Why should your socialistic opinion about libertarians be viewed as honest?

Sorry, the FACT that I do not agree with the legalization of drugs does NOT make me a socialist.So you know...I am a rightwing conservative, MANY gun owner, christian. Perhaps, you'd be better served by surfing over to the Ultra Liberal website that bears your moniker?

[tpaine]

The treatment of addicts is not a reward.

So, the legalization of drugs is "treatment"? LOL.

Laugh away, pup. -- That was Caltrops concept, at #18.

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Why should your socialistic opinion about libertarians be viewed as honest?

Sorry, the FACT that I do not agree with the legalization of drugs does NOT make me a socialist.

Sorry, but I differ, and the facts in the article support my view. Why don't you try refuting them to make your case?

So you know...I am a rightwing conservative, MANY gun owner, christian.

Then you should realise that supporting the drug war works against your self interest.

Perhaps, you'd be better served by surfing over to the Ultra Liberal website that bears your moniker?

Thanks, but having been here for five years, FR 'serves' me fine, -- and the closet socialists here are about all I can stomach.

[anobjectivist]

As long as drugs remain illegal the black market for drugs (read: the economy that will continue to exist and continues to cost the US billions in trying to stop it) will continue to expand. Do you forget the submarines that the government of our country and South American countries have found and destroyed, along with smuggling aircraft and vehicles that continue to arrive at our shores? The potential market for drugs is so high that it can fund almost any technology short of space travel.

If the government was really serious about the drug trade, we would have a military border along 100% of our shoreline and land borders. That would cost many more billions of dollars along with the prospect of not being able to go to a beach without seeing a soldier. Let's not forget the numerous civil rights involved.

If we were serious about legalizing drugs, the black market would collapse along with the vast majority of organized and violent crimes. The only real drawbacks is well, drugs would be illegal. However, so is alcohol, a substance that can kill in high enough amounts and also create enough "accidents" with vehicles that it is a problem. But we learned our lesson with that drug from prohibition.
Right now, we are neither serious about either one of these realities. We are at the halfway point, which means we spend billions on the drug war, which is just enough to keep mass drug use underground, yet not enough to ever stop it. Billions of our dollars are wasted each year on this, just think of what good could come out of the same money if put back into the hands of the people that make our country as great as it is.

The people that are addicted to drugs and trash their lives will continue to do so, only after legalization it won't be so lucrative.