Quote:
Originally Posted by brownbagg
i think drug users ought to put down, or at least thirty years in prison. I have no use for a dope head or one anywhere around me.
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Wow, that's a pretty strong opinion. Are you willing to be the one 'putting people down'? As others have said here, there are plenty of 'legal drug' users around. You know, the one's Governments profit from.
I don't use 'illegal' drugs..... I have never tried any of them in my 60 years. I don't mind a glass of wine, or a bacardi and coke on occasion......
I'm very pleased the Government allow this.
I used to go along with the official line, and the 'war on drugs.' I've watched for many years the drug bust on the television news. The smiling police chief standing over a pile of bags of heroin, or cocaine, weed, whatever.
I've watched the documentaries of secret police investigations following drug stashes around the world, catching 'drug lords' after sometimes months of surveillance...... at massive cost to the taxpayer. The increase in cost as teams of police get more and more money to pursue these criminals. Lots of folks jailed for illegal drug supply, and use.
You would think after all these years of criminal activity, and government crack down on this, we would be an illegal drug free society...... nope, we're not. Well, the answer is keep trying huh. Lock 'em up, and throw away the key..... yes sir!! Or even better, 'put them down.'!!
Now, lets get real. The 'war on drugs' is a massive, expensive failure. The problem is, there is a 'supply and demand' issue here. Sad as it is, folks want drugs. Both legal and illegal. We are a weak willed creature, and gain pleasure from getting off our faces on various drugs. Doctors supply many of them, with government approval.
Others, not approved like heroin have their fans. The trouble is, by making such drugs illegal, and very expensive, makes criminals of their users. But, once addicted, they need a lot of money to feed their habit. This results in real criminal activity like mugging, shop lifting, and burglary. Various Governments around the world have demonized illegal drug use for so many years, they can't really back peddle. All those folks punished by law enforcement. It would make them look really foolish huh?
The problem we have is, some drugs governments say, 'yes you can.' Others, 'no you can't.' It really is time to stop this, and allow people to decide for themselves. Stop criminalizing folks putting substances into their own bodies. It should be up to them, not officialdom. Some folks are stupid, always have been, always will. That's just the way it is sadly. All we as a society should do is warn people of the dangers, then let them make up their own mind.
Instead of wasting billions fighting illegal drug use, spend some of that money on education, and helping addicts come off drugs. Most people will still avoid dangerous drugs like heroin like the plague. It's stupid to argue legalizing them will make more addicts. Even if this is so, helping them is cheaper than all this law enforcement, and building more jails.
A few years ago, I was in a chemist shop in Manchester. My wife and I had gone in to buy some plasters for her foot. As we waited to pay, a man came in, and walked to the Pharmacy counter. A small cup of green liquid was poured out for him. Just a very small plastic cup full. He drank it, and left. I asked what is was. "Methadone" was the reply. Even I know this is a drug supplied to heroin addicts to wean them off heroin. I guess giving him that is a lot cheaper than the addict robbing and stealing from ordinary folks to feed his addiction.
Governments seem quite happy to be the drug suppliers of choice when it suits them. Generally when they profit from it. One thing puzzles me. See all those soldiers we have in Afghanistan? The ones bringing democracy to an oppressed people? Well, some of those people grow poppies to be made into opium. Fields everywhere full of poppies. That country is the major supplier of the worlds heroin. Growing more than ever before. Ask yourself this..... why are we not burning these fields of poppies? All those helicopters..... spotting the flowers is easy. How come we allow those farmers to continue supplying much of the worlds heroin? Have a good long think about it.
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