Big Drug War News (Congressman Dan Burton on the drug war)

The Agitator ^ | 17 December 2002 | Radley Balko

[Billy_bob_bob]

To be fair, I honestly feel that the best option we have (as chosen from a list of poor choices) is to quasi-legalize all drugs, and make them available ONLY from state run clinics or from hospitals. The idea is that they are not advertised in any way, they are not promoted in any way, they are simply available to those who want them. The clinics will be clean and basic, with drugs available at market rates, and treatment options made available at those clinics for those who want to quit their habits.

This would accomplish some good things. It would remove the profit potential from the sales of illegal drugs, it would assist those who are addicted in getting over their addictions when they are ready to straighten up, and it would send a clear message to the community that drugs are not "cool" or "hip", they are medicine for sick and dependant people.

When dealers go from being rich, powerful guys to pitiful, poor addicts who stand in line like everybody else for their fix, the glamor of the drug lifestyle goes right down the drain. Even stupid kids don't want to end up as an addict standing in line to get their drugs. Mark my words, if you remove the profit incentive you will remove %90 of the problem in one fell swoop.

[Texaggie79]

No because, as illustrated by MILLIONS of users, alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly.

When is the last time you had a little crack with your meal?

[MrLeRoy]

Because that "weakness" if allowed to go unchallenged will endanger you and yours far more than some hoodlums on the other side of town.

That justifies FORCING me to pay those costs (monetary and otherwise)? If you think that, you're no conservative.

[Cyber Liberty]

"A kid can’t be driving a brand-new Corvette when he lives in the inner city of Indianapolis in a ghetto. You know that he has gotta be making that money in someway that is probably not legal and probably involves drugs."

Hoo boy. Wait'll the race hustlers get through with Neville Lott. They'll have a field day with this one.

"So, a kid driving a vette through the ghetto must be a crook if he has money, huh?"

[Texaggie79]

Just because hard drugs would be cheap does not mean that users could afford them. Addicted, hard drug users cannot keep jobs. They will still need to get their drug, somehow.

However, that is not the main risk I fear from rampant drug use. I fear a community full of addicts.

It's much easier to turn down that fix when you must venture to some back alley, afraid for you life, spend more money, and risk getting a fake product, as opposed to walking into CVS pharmacy and grabbing one of the shelf.

[Cyber Liberty]

"It's much easier to turn down that fix when you must venture to some back alley, afraid for you life, spend more money, and risk getting a fake product, as opposed to walking into CVS pharmacy and grabbing one of the shelf."

It's obvious that you, or anybody you know and love, never needed a fix.

[Chemist_Geek]

So, while you may have remedied the supply side, killing off the cartels and giving the job of production over to corporations, you INCREASE the motivation of users and non users to use MORE.

I don't see that as a good thing.

Hear, hear!

[tacticalogic]

No because, as illustrated by MILLIONS of users, alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly.

When is the last time you had a little crack with your meal?

Is making the argument in terms of the extremes on either end really rational? When was the last time you enjoyed a little Everclear with your dinner? Do people ever responsibly use codeine, even if it isn't prescribed to them?

[Texaggie79]

The profit incentive would simply be moved to Corporations

[Chemist_Geek]

Drugs have their own inherent cost, and people recognize that.

Not the youth. Youth think that they are immortal.

[Texaggie79]

No, If you choose to live in a state that outlaws hard drugs, then you CHOOSE to pay those costs by choosing to live there.

[Texaggie79]

Actually, I have 2 close relatives that do. One is addicted to cocaine, the other Crystal Meth. And another relative addicted to Heroine, but is on Methadone.

Each one would tell you that after leaving their support group meetings, they would be much more challenged to stay clean if they saw their drug of choice sitting in front of their face at a Wal-Mart, dirt cheap, and ready to use, than knowing they would have to pay out the butt for a crap drug at their dealers place.

[tacticalogic]

I fear a community full of addicts.

And how much of that fear is derived from the fear of crime and violence that follows the drugs?

[Texaggie79]

Everclear is an exception to the rule. Crack is a rule. Crystal Meth is a rule. Heroine is a rule. For alcohol, beer is a rule.

[Cyber Liberty]

Good point. Hadn't thought of it that way.

[tacticalogic]

Not the youth. Youth think that they are immortal.

I don't think anyone here is advocating that any of the drugs being discussed be made more easily obtainable than alcohol, especially to the young.

[Billy_bob_bob]

"The profit incentive would simply be moved to Corporations"

Exactly! Corporations that are licenced and forced to operate within narrowly defined guidelines. If they step out of line they lose their license and someone else gets to make the profits, marginal as they are. Again, the idea is to legalize and regulate the traffic to the degree that it wipes out the profit motive. I'll go a step further and suggest something else in addition to my first proposal.

From what I have learned from the history of drugs in society, it is that there are two extreme conditions that can lead to a majority of any given population ending up addicted to any given drug.

The first extreme condition arises from attempts to prohibit all drugs. This leads to extreme demand from a small percentage of the population that leads to very high prices and profits being realized by those who supply said demand. The profit incentive leads the suppliers to want to expand their markets, and it's off to the races.

The second extreme condition arises from oversupply of drugs, as happened with the "nickel gin" plague that hit England in the 18th century. Because gin was so plentiful and so cheap, a large percentage of the population became addicted.

So, getting back to my proposal, I have to amend my suggestion to include the idea of setting prices high enough to discourage addiction, while keeping them low enough to short-circuit the black market.

[Cyber Liberty]

How do you feel about marijuana?

[Texaggie79]

Not much.

[Texaggie79]

As stated above, I believe it should be legal. I see no more harm than alcohol, actually less.....