[Candor7]

The solution to the problem is not legalizing drugs. Its more than just an economic problem. Drugs are addictive. They destroy the individual and organized society politically, economically and socially. The distribution of power becomes skewed, the distribution of wealth becomes unrelated to effort, and the culture becomes debauched.

That's what actually happens when drugs like these are legalized. I mean we manage, just barely, to function with alcohol as a legalized substance.Opiates added to the mix, for example, of recreational possibilities without medical prescription would be around 90% addictive for most individuals, and about 20% addictive after their first trial.

So I wonder why we lack the hutzpa to face the facts? The legalization remedy is too myopic, and like meddling with one aspect of nature, there are many unforeseen destructive consequences. What happened in China with opium proves that.
China was completely destroyed, one of the greatest, and longest surviving cultures in the world.What would it do to us, we have been around only a couple of hundred years?We would be no more in short order.

[justlurking]

The solution to the problem is not legalizing drugs. Its more than just an economic problem. Drugs are addictive. They destroy the individual and organized society politically, economically and socially. The distribution of power becomes skewed, the distribution of wealth becomes unrelated to effort, and the culture becomes debauched.

This is almost exactly the same argument made for (alcohol) Prohibition. It was a bad idea then, it's a bad idea now.

That's what actually happens when drugs like these are legalized. I mean we manage, just barely, to function with alcohol as a legalized substance.Opiates added to the mix, for example, of recreational possibilities without medical prescription would be around 90% addictive for most individuals, and about 20% addictive after their first trial.

I'm not pretending that mood-altering drugs are benign. But, the cost of drug prohibition is far higher than drug legalization. We have paid a heavy price in the loss of civil liberties, the militarization of police forces, and daily warfare on the border and in our cities among gangs engaging in "competition".

So I wonder why we lack the hutzpa to face the facts? The legalization remedy is too myopic, and like meddling with one aspect of nature, there are many unforeseen destructive consequences. What happened in China with opium proves that.

You point to China, I point to the US only 80 years ago. I think the latter is a more contemporary (and relevant) example.

[stephenjohnbanker]

For those of you unaware, the narco-terrorists are in control of several miles of ARIZONA property. Obama kmows this, and does nothing but protect the terrorists.

This is TREASON!!

[Cedar]

Great responses concerning legalizing drugs.

As a 1970’s somewhat-hippie who did drugs for a while, I can definitely say you are correct—drugs destroy the individual (and would destroy our nation if legalized).

The best answer to the drug problem is stricter punishment...very strict. Not many would want to deal drugs if the punishment (enforced every time!) was 60 years without parole.

[socialism_stinX]

Great post. In addition to everything you said, there’s also the problem of serious car accidents caused by people driving while mentally impaired by drugs.