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You've got some interesting statistics about people in prison for violent crimes; ... Also there is a great deal of published research that clearly shows an extremely high correlation between drug usage and violent crime ------
... But, I'm not sure how you conclude from your statistics and graphs about the number of people in prison ..... that "the war on drugs has failed" ... and/or the argument of subsequent posters that "drugs should be legalized ... 'because drug laws have failed to keep people from committing violent (and other) crimes that lead to prison?"
You may be right about your conclusion that 'the war on drugs has failed'. Usage is certainly higher now than ever before. But, where is the evidence that legalizing drugs will reduce drug usage or crimes committed by drug users?
Your graphs and statistics actually seem to show that "putting people in prison' doesn't keep them from committing crimes" --- or "that the war on crime has failed" (... ? perhaps crime should be legalized? -- or perhaps, that prisons should be eliminated as 'racist' because such a large percentage of inmates are non-white? )
The point is that some people will find a way to alter their state of mind no matter what or how. It has been shown throughout history that outlawing something that has a demand will create a dangerous black market system. Urban minorities are the biggest losers in this black market system.
Drug rates are equal across all racial demographics yet urban minorities are imprisoned at astronomical rates.
I don't know about you, but I don't want my taxes paying to imprison a 19 year old caught with a dime bag of weed. I also don't want that 19 year old's life to be ruined and effectively removed from our society because of it. It would also be nice if our police could focus on protecting people from other people, not protecting people from themselves.
Not to mention effectively putting an end to the wars on our streets (I mean, seriously the US urban murder rate is atrocious) and the Mexican Drug wars. I recently read that Colombian Cocaine dealers are using submarines to transport their product. When an industry can afford submarines to transport their product the demand is so great that outlawing it is no longer an option.
One of the main reasons that The War on Drugs is a failure is that today, people are overdosing at record rates yet nothing is being done because the drugs are legal and prescribed. Why isn't there a "War on Pharmaceutical Companies"?
It is beyond hyprocritical and even insane to outlaw a natural plant yet advertise and promote a life of multiple man-made drug prescriptions. Alcohol is more dangerous than Marijuana. Presciption drugs are definitely more dangerous than Marijuana yet our children are not taught this.
Nothing shows societies obsession with the status quo, the reach of lobbyist's money, and the level of general ignorance that can be spread, better than the War on Drugs.
It's an unconstitutional policy that infringes on our individual liberties and produces no positive results. End it. It's failed. This isn't up for debate. It's failed and it should have never been started...
Interesting article today on The Russian Times. I did not know that America was the only Western country that allows for direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.
As the "War on Drugs" rages on, legalized drugs are killing more people now than any illegal drug has ever done.
"The United States has a passion for pills, being the world's biggest users of psychotropic drugs, consuming 60 per cent of them. And pharmaceutical firms are keen to keep cashing in on the multibillion-dollar market, even if it costs people's health.
Last year, prescription drug abuse became the number one cause of accidental death, with more than 30,000 Americans overdosing
The number of children consuming antipsychotic medication has doubled in the past decade. Millions of American adolescents are taking drugs like Adderall, doled out by doctors to treat hyperactivity."
I don't understand how people say the repealing the war on drugs will make crime go down.
I have worked with coke,crack,heroin addicts,and believe me,some drugs do weird things to peoples mind.
Cocaine makes some users violent to anyone in their path. Imagine if some guy is high off of some coke he got at the corner store,and he gets in a violent rage and starts beating some elderly man who just so happens to be walking past?
Or some heroin user needs the drug so bad that they steal your things out your car and sell it?
Don't get me started on angel dust,or PcP and Lsd. Really,extreme violence.
It really doesn't matter if they are legal or not,a lot will still commit crimes because they would still need money to purchase the drugs.
Lastly,do you think most employers would hire drug addicts? Seems to me a lot won't still be able to hold jobs.
Maybe marijuana would be the exception,but no to the others.
Last edited by jerseygal4u; 12-27-2011 at 03:54 PM..
I don't understand how people say the repealing the war on drugs will make crime go down.
I have worked with coke,crack,heroin addicts,and believe me,some drugs do weird things to peoples mind.
Cocaine makes some users violent to anyone in their path. Imagine if some guy is high off of some coke he got at the corner store,and he gets in a violent rage and starts beating some elderly man who just so happens to be walking past?
Or some heroin user needs the drug so bad that they steal your things out your car and sell it?
It really doesn't matter if they are legal or not,a lot will still commit crimes because they would still need money to purchase the drugs.
Lastly,do you think most employers would hire drug addicts? Seems to me a lot won't still be able to hold jobs.
Maybe marijuana would be the exception,but no to the others.
What is stopping your scenarios from happening now?
Unless you think the only thing stopping more people from becoming drug addicts is a law...
What is stopping your scenarios from happening now?
Unless you think the only thing stopping more people from becoming drug addicts is a law...
Nothing except a lot are in jail,which prevents them from commiting the crimes.
A lot of drug addicts I saw had commited violent crimes while high.
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