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We have been fighting drugs for decades, and its obviously a battle we have surely lost. Why would the fight continue? Could it be politics? Could it be money?
If corporations expect favors in exchange for money donated to politicians, couldn't the leader of a multi-billion dollar drug cartel expect that as well? Sure, he cant outright make donations but setting up a dummy charity or something is not a big thing for someone used to laundering money anyway, is it?
If a small town of say 250 people builds a prison, then suddenly those 250 people have access to jobs that weren't there before. But, aside from that obvious benefit, if the prison holds 10,000 to 100,000 inmates, that town suddenly received a big influx in population. Its also a population that has no say in how things are done in that town, but it gains that town federal and state subsidies for what has become a population of 10,250 to 100,250 people.
Good money all around, right?
Who is going to complain? The poor and disenfranchised that many would prefer to see off the streets anyway?
Who would listen to their complaints? I mean sure, these people can vote if they have never been incarcerated for a felony crime, but they probably can't donate all that much to their preferred candidates.
Many drug addicts are highly functional. If you work in an office, take a look around, there's a good chance at least one or two of your co workers are addicts. All addicts are not out stealing and living on the streets. Many addicts are doctors, lawyers, business owners and other "contributors." They are struggling, this doesn't make them worthless people.
^^^ So true. There's a good documentary on Adderall on Netflex. Now one of the drugs of choice for college students and professional people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1003
Then decriminalize drugs.Make them available. That will put the cartels out of business and keep users out of jail.
Then if they want to kill themselves it's on them (without imports of drugs laced with God knows what, ODs will decrease to a point where they were when I was in college)
I've been saying this for a long time. Mainly because it's so obvious that our 'War on Drugs' doesn't work and never has.
Dumping a lot of money into criminalizing what is rightfully a medical problem keeps law enforcement, social workers, and prison systems healthily employed.
The attendant corruption, disrespect for the law, big paydays for organized crime, and stigmatization of the 'disadvantaged underclass' is just a bonus.
Then decriminalize drugs.Make them available. That will put the cartels out of business and keep users out of jail.
What would happen to Law enforcement if that happened though? They would all the sudden have much less to do, more importantly, they could no longer justify the huge budgets and staffing levels they currently get, not to even mention the prison industry, who would likely go bankrupt very soon after this.
In order to keep the quotas up and jail cells filled, there MUST be laws that enough people are consistently willing to break, drug laws do this perfectly.
Then there are the drug cartels, who would also go bankrupt, (unless they became legit distributors), but if heroin were totally legal, there is no way they could charge $150-200 per gram, 80% of that cost is due to the risk involved.
The DEA and US law enforcement needs the drug cartels as much as the cartels need the DEA and LE agencies. They both work hand in hand and both benefit from the other.
True....but it's a war that we're fighting and we're losing. There's more supply out there than they are man power...to try to control it.
I am NOT an advocate of drugs. As a former drug user, I can testify that they are the devil. But if someone wants to inject themselves with that poison, who are we to say that they should go to jail for doing so? I would rather wait until they commit the crime for us to take action.
Well said and congratulations on being a FORMER DRUG USER!
What would happen to Law enforcement if that happened though? They would all the sudden have much less to do, more importantly, they could no longer justify the huge budgets and staffing levels they currently get, not to even mention the prison industry, who would likely go bankrupt very soon after this.
In order to keep the quotas up and jail cells filled, there MUST be laws that enough people are consistently willing to break, drug laws do this perfectly.
Then there are the drug cartels, who would also go bankrupt, (unless they became legit distributors), but if heroin were totally legal, there is no way they could charge $150-200 per gram, 80% of that cost is due to the risk involved.
The DEA and US law enforcement needs the drug cartels as much as the cartels need the DEA and LE agencies. They both work hand in hand and both benefit from the other.
1st, one death is too many, I do not want to minimize this problem. Before you bang on me, I am a pharmacist and fully understand the issues involved in "the drug epidemic"
Why the Hell is our government throwing so much money at a problem that is for the most part self induced? Isn't this money better spent on cancer, heart disease and other diseases that plague mankind?
If someone wants to kill him, or herself, that's their problem, not mine.
Thoughts?
You're correct Mike. Why did you even become a pharmacist? You should have become a traffic attendant and cut down on the driving deaths...that's even bigger!
A long time ago I audited a methadone clinic in Chicago. The first time I went to the client I was told to make sure I bring gloves because I might get TB. Money was tight. A lot of the counselors were quit addicts as well. Some of the people looked like junkies. Some of the people were dressed in work clothes. Some were in professional work clothes.
I dunno, I'm glad it was there. It seemed to help some people. The government wastes money on worse.
For me its a freedom issue. People should be free to make a choice. Anyone think that the word hasn't gotten out about heroin being bad for you? Drinking and drunk driving. If people are functional it isn't so bad. When people are resorting to crime?Then it changes. For me, pot should be legal.It is like having a beer. I used to travel a lot and meth is what I call "a nation destroyer" That stuff is frying peoples brains everywhere. Maybe some compassion over jail time is what is needed.
People who earn an honest living also should be free from the hassles of those who want to take advantage and steal from us. Where is the compassion for those of work all our lives and do contribute to, not contaminate, society?
I wonder how many of Rush Limbaugh's "dittoheads" are here calling opiate addicts worthless.
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