Latest nonsense from the Drug Czar

Rocky Mountain News ^ | October 2, 2002 | Mike Patty

[tacticalogic]

Well I am neither and I still think that saving the life of one kid would make it a worthwhile effort. What is the alternative?

The alternative is to not, realizing that while you may have prevented some individual tragedies, ultimately that reasoning will lead to a level of control of people's lives that destroys entire societies by stagnation.

[William Terrell]

. . . yet more kids seek treatment for drug use.

They don't seek treatment. They are compelled to do so. Some adults seek treatment for hard drug use. They do not seek treatment for cannabis use. Treatment for cannabis use is compelled by judicial and executive force at a hefty price. Most, if not all, "treatment" centers are private businesses. If people were not compelled by the state to attend them, they would go out of business.

[MrLeRoy]

Probably some sort of education program would be where I started.

Why put an education program in the hands of the FDA? And what does education have to do with regulation?

[MrLeRoy]

saving the life of one kid would make it a worthwhile effort.

Banning guns---or cars---could save kids' lives. Do you support those policies?

[MrLeRoy]

I didnt say anything about BANNING. I said regulating

What sort of regulations do you envision?

You way has been tried and failed.

What do you think "my way" is?

[MrLeRoy]

The same regulations as with tobacco and alcohol.

That would be a huge improvement over the War On Some Drugs.

Your way appears to include the lack of regulation, education or oversight.

Government does very little by way of alcohol and tobacco education---and that's the way it should be; education is parents' job. Other government regulations of tobacco and alcohol involve:

• Product purity. I'm all for ensuring purity for drugs, including alcohol and tobacco (although in a perfect world we'd have a private-sector solution).
• Keeping them away from kids. Again, I'm all for it.
• Restricting advertising. Legal ad-restricted drugs is a huge improvement over the War On Some Drugs, although I'm opposed in principle to all restrictions on non-fraudulent advertising.
• Warning labels. Legal warning-labeled drugs is a huge improvement over the War On Some Drugs, although I'm opposed in principle to such requirements and favor caveat emptor.

Sounds like you and I are on the same page.