DRUGS WON THE WAR!

NYTimes ^ | 6.13.2009 | NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

[Ken H]

There's been no "war on drugs." If there were a war on drugs, all of the dopers would be dead.

Then explain why Singapore and Iran have such a bad heroin problem.¹

¹Link to post with data and sources

[wolfcreek]

People have been *indulging* in mind altering substances since the beginning. Are you suggesting most of us should be dead?

[dcwusmc]

I know what the answer is: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. If you must face the consequences for your actions, you tend to become much more temperate in what you do and how much of what chemicals you use for relaxation...

[dcwusmc]

Let’s get rid of ALL these wars conducted by FedGov which are, after all, only excuses to expand the reach of government and have NOTHING to do with preventing or ending that which they are “against.”

[ChrisInAR]

Nixon’s war on drugs was an evil Republican war, perhaps?

Whereas LBJ’s war on poverty was a good Democrat war.

YES on the former, & NO on the latter. They are BOTH evil, unconstitutional, unnecessary, & have caused more problems than they have "solved".

[dcwusmc]

You’re almost right. There IS, however, a war on the Constitution, masquerading as a war on drugs. And THAT is what must be stopped dead in its tracks.

And the drug warrior cult is largely responsible for perpetuating that war on America and our Constitution. So thanks a lot!

[dcwusmc]

Roger that. How hard is it for the drug warriors to comprehend that simple fact???

[GunRunner]

So what can we do to minimize the effects of drugs? Well we can legalize them. At least that would put the drug dealers out of business. A tremendous amount of violence and peripheral damage can be averted. The chic appeal of drugs will go down when they are legalized. The people who still use drugs can be more readily identified. It will be a win-win situation. A tremendous amount of suffering will be averted. Will it happen? It will one day but not very soon and not as long as so many profit from the illegal drug trade.

Worth repeating.

[monday]

“Piled Higher and Deeper.”

When your town is run by Mexican drug lords funded by the war on drugs and drug prohibition, don't complain. You will have gotten exactly what you wanted.

BTW in case you still don't understand, just like alcohol prohibition gave millions to Al Capone and his gangster contemporaries, so drug prohibition gives millions to what would be two bit petty criminals these days. If you want two bit petty criminals to have the money to buy judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers then supporting the war on drugs is the way to go.

Want to know who the biggest supporters of the war on drugs is? Criminals. Without drug prohibition, they would have to work for a living.

[Moonman62]

BTW in case you still don't understand, just like alcohol prohibition gave millions to Al Capone and his gangster contemporaries, so drug prohibition gives millions to what would be two bit petty criminals these days.

And when alcohol prohibition ended so did organized rime. /sarcasm

[secretagent]

The chic appeal of drugs will go down when they are legalized.

Yes. Now its "adventurous" to declare sovereignty over what you do to your own body.

Time to make doing drugs just stupid, not also a defiance of the Nanny State.

[monday]

“And when alcohol prohibition ended so did organized rime. /sarcasm “

Perhaps you are unaware of how powerful organized crime was during prohibition? The end of prohibition caused a significant decrease in organized crime. Drug prohibition is the new driver for organized crime. It is the new big money maker for criminals. Bigger than all their other rackets combined.

[mysterio]

It's time for the WOD to end. (for more than a few reasons)

Agree.

[Moonman62]

If it weren’t for the behavior of drug addicts and people like yourself, drugs probably would be legal.

[Ken H]

That didn't address the point about alcohol prohibition. Do you agree or disagree that organized crime's involvement in the alcohol trade mostly ended after Prohibition was repealed?

[monday]

“If it weren’t for the behavior of drug addicts and people like yourself, drugs probably would be legal.”

People like myself? Please explain why my behavior causes the war on drugs. Please be specific.

[Nate505]

I guess the war on poverty would have been won if we just executed the poor...

[ellery]

If it weren’t for the behavior of drug addicts and people like yourself, drugs probably would be legal.

Nah, power addicts and people like yourself would still be getting high on government force.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

Just legalize pot already!