Link

I hate to have such a questionable source, but this is the only place I've seen it. If true, score one for the opponents of freedom.

quote:

The Commission shall have no authority to make findings related to current Federal, State, and local criminal justice policies and practices or reform recommendations that involve, support, or otherwise discuss the decriminalization of any offense under the Controlled Substances Act or the legalization of any controlled substance listed under the Controlled Substances Act.

Another wasteful government bureaucratic boondoggle....

End the War on Drugs


"We have recently heard many shocking stories of brutal killings and ruthless violence related to drug cartels warring with Mexican and US officials. It is approaching the fever pitch of a full-blown crisis. Unfortunately, the administration is not likely to waste this opportunity to further expand government. Hopefully, we can take a deep breath and look at history for the optimal way to deal with this dangerous situation, which is not unprecedented.

Alcohol prohibition in the 1920’s brought similar violence, gangs, lawlessness, corruption and brutality. The reason for the violence was not that making and selling alcohol was inherently dangerous. The violence came about because of the creation of a brutal black market which also drove profits through the roof. These profits enabled criminals like Al Capone to become incredibly wealthy, and militantly defensive of that wealth. Al Capone saw the repeal of Prohibition as a great threat, and indeed smuggling operations and gangland violence fell apart after repeal. Today, picking up a bottle of wine for dinner is a relatively benign transaction, and beer trucks travel openly and peacefully along their distribution routes.

Similarly today, the best way to fight violent drug cartels would be to pull the rug out from under their profits by bringing these transactions out into the sunlight. People who, unwisely, buy drugs would hardly opt for the back alley criminal dealer as a source, if a coffeehouse-style dispensary was an option. Moreover, a law-abiding dispensary is likely to check ID’s and refuse sale to minors, as bars and ABC stores tend to do very diligently. Think of all the time and resources law enforcement could save if they could instead focus on violent crimes, instead of this impossible nanny-state mandate of saving people from themselves!"

One of my projects in college was to compare an event from history to something going on today. I chose prohibition/war on drugs.

What I found was the results of the prohibition of alcohol and prohibition of marijuana were exactly the same. Crime and other social ills increased, not decreased. You can find old pictures of police posed around a seizure of homemade liquor which look identical to pictures of cops posed around brush piles of pot. One major difference that I found was that people would die from drinking poisonous bathtub gin, but no one in history has ever overdosed on pot.

If you want to reduce the number of people who get hooked on hard drugs such as heroine, cocaine, and meth, we must control the gateway. Grouping a harmless plant with man made poisons doesn't solve the problem, it makes the poisons more accessible.

Besides, if you've ever been to a good concert, you'll know as soon as the lights go down that marijuana laws are being ignored.

I'm with ya'll on this one. Its time to decriminalize marijuana and regulate it more like alcohol and tobacco.

That is correct, and I'm fairly certain that if you know the right people, you can stand practically anywhere in the US and acquire marijuana in five minutes or less.

It is everywhere.

This war reminds me of that Iraqi Info Minister.

i may need that number someday 8. five minutes is faster than you can get a pizza

I have always heard prisoners could get marijauana faster than the mperson on the street!

The use of drugs is probably the number 2 reason poor people remain poor. Number 1 would be education. Marijuana is harmless right? Well it kills a few brain cells but we don't use all we've got anyway. What do you do when pot doesn't get you high enough anymore? You try something bigger and better, maybe coke. That's too expensive let's try crack or maybe meth. You lose your job, wife, and kids. Now how do I afford my fix? Theft and robbery works. Does everyone that smokes pot follow this routine? No, but many do.

ferrell,

So what then? Deny everyone the freedom to use drugs because someone might steal something one day to buy drugs?

LOL!

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

quote:

Originally posted by dolemitejb:
ferrell,

So what then? Deny everyone the freedom to use drugs because someone might steal something one day to buy drugs?

I take it you've never been around drug users very much. Visit some rehab centers and see what drugs do to families.

ferrell,

I don't use drugs. I don't deny that drugs can, and have, caused people problems. That doesn't give anyone the right to put people in prison for using them.

quote:

Originally posted by ferrellj:
The use of drugs is probably the number 2 reason poor people remain poor. Number 1 would be education. Marijuana is harmless right? Well it kills a few brain cells but we don't use all we've got anyway. What do you do when pot doesn't get you high enough anymore? You try something bigger and better, maybe coke. That's too expensive let's try crack or maybe meth. You lose your job, wife, and kids. Now how do I afford my fix? Theft and robbery works. Does everyone that smokes pot follow this routine? No, but many do.

your logic could be used to say nicotine,alcohol and sugar are gateway drugs. i bet those are used by addicts at an earlier age and at a higher rate than pot.

quote:

Originally posted by dolemitejb:
ferrell,

I don't use drugs. I don't deny that drugs can, and have, caused people problems. That doesn't give anyone the right to put people in prison for using them.

"i've had good times on drugs and i've had bad times on drugs. i've had good and bad relationships but i'm not giving up sex."

bill hicks

quote:

Originally posted by dolemitejb:
ferrell,

I don't use drugs. I don't deny that drugs can, and have, caused people problems. That doesn't give anyone the right to put people in prison for using them.

Right now it does because it's against the law.