[Terran]

Who here thinks the war on drugs is stupid? The government is wasting so many of out taxpayers money on the war on drugs. It is unfair to see people locked up for just possession of drugs, it's a waste of space in the prison system, we are building more and more prisons. It would be better if the prison is for people who commited serious, and violant crimes, like killers or rapist, wouldn't this world become a better place? It's just stupid to lock up someone for smoking pot. Programs like DARE are ineffective, and a waste of money. They should just get rid of them.

[Aaron]

http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/topics.do?topic=war

[dmtu]

On a personal level I hate methamphetamine because I know of more than one person whose life lays in waste due to it. On the other hand the crusade against pot is one of the highest levels of ignorance I have ever seen. I even consider the dread LSD to be safer than alcohol. I'm not big on taxes but my feeling on the subject would be to legalize pot, tax it and, use the funds (the ones that would certainly be misappropriated) for education. I partied pretty hard when I was younger as my writing may or may not indicate but, I haven't used illicit drugs in a decade and rarely drink. Darwin has done me well.

[usmcjcr]

Dear Pot Head: I see you're from the Bay area. No wonder you would love to have a free ride on drugs. You are living a fools dream if you think legalizing any habit forming drug would be in our children's best interest. I've lost a brother to drugs (he's doing his 5th or 6th prison term - I've lost track). The tole taken by illegal drugs upon American society is beyond calculation. If you or your family has yet to be harmed by drugs or drug users just give it a little more time. When a druggie steals your possessions or kills a loved one you'll come to understand the danger. But being from the Bay area I know I'm wasting my time trying to convert you. Only after becoming a victim of a drug user will you see the light. As for the DARE it is a wonderful national effort to lead our children away from drug use. SUPPORT IT don't KNOCK IT....

[Whitecrab]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', '[')url]http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/topics.do?topic=war[/url]

[Leanan]

I'd support DARE if it worked. But research shows that it doesn't. So it's a waste of money.

[Aaron]

It's Penn & Teller's Showtime series named BS. It's a debunking show. If you can't surf the link, you won't see the content either, which is a clip from the show. I suscribe to Showtime & have seen this episode personally. Those who hold that the war on drugs is working, or even a good idea, should see the arguments.

From the site: $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')merica is waging a massive war on its home soil, a war it is losing. Our country spends $20 billion a year in drug enforcement, but the illegal drug industry is thriving. Should we even be waging this war, when alcohol is legal and pushed every night on network TV? By criminalizing drugs, we just turn non-violent citizens into criminals. And medicinal uses of marijuana are being blocked by crusading moralists yelling "family values." © 2004 Showtime Networks Inc. All rights reserved. trademark and copyright

[Guest]

Well, alcohol ruins more lives than meth, cocaine and heroin put together. I guess we should criminalize alcohol - oh yeah we did and it was a disaster. If drugs were legal, they would be *much* cheaper and no one would steal your hub caps to get a fix (well, at least they wouldn't need to steal them as often ).

People need to be educated on drugs. That doesn't mean telling them lies or concocting bogus studies, but explaining in a logical manner what the pitfalls of drug use are.

You can't win, though. Prohibition and legalization both have their pitfalls. But isn't better to err on the side of liberty than on the side of the police state? The police state, like a drug, has some very nasty side effects too.

[Itch]

Yeah, fine. I'll bite.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'D')ear Pot Head: I see you're from the Bay area. No wonder you would love to have a free ride on drugs

[CarlinsDarlin]

LMAO @ Itch . Thanks. I couldn't have said it better.
Kathy

[Denny]

I seem to recall the War on Drugs started under Pres. Reagan. Is this correct? I recall crossing the border at Port Huron, and the signs saying "Patience please, a drug free America comes first". But, to me, its kind of a phony war. If the government put its whole effort into it, it could be won.

How come there are not even progress reports or the like showing the decline in drug imports and drug use? And, why even bother getting mild stuff like grass involved in the "war"? I think the "War" is just a political gimmick. If it was serious war it should have been over by now. Anyone agree?

[smiley]

I can't understand this war on drugs. The solution to the problem is clear. In my country softdrugs are legal. They are as much accepted as alcohol. The only difference is the legal age, which is 16 for alcohol and 18 for softdrugs.

This approach has three advantages:
Firstly the police doesn't have to bother about some kid with 2 grammes of marijuana so they can free their resources for fighting harddrugs (which are strictly forbidden).
Secondly since the softdrugs are readily available (and cheap) people are less inclined to switch to harddrugs (which are expensive and hard to find).
Thirdly, since coffeeshops are legal, the dealers are legitimate entrepreneurs. If they behave criminally, they lose their license, so they don't (and they actually pay taxes).

And this approach works. The use of harddrugs has actually been falling for years now and drug related crimes are rare. And still, we're often projected as some kind of a Sodom and Gomorrah by countries with a much bigger drug problem than us.

[MattSavinar]

The War on Drugs is really a war for prison industry profits. Keeping the drugs illegal also provides tremendous liquidity to the Stock Market.

For instance:
-Jan 2001: Taliban outlaw poppy (heroin) production. Heroin market begins to crash. Drug lords were losing the money they turn around and launder by investing in the stock market.
-Sept 11 2001: you know what happned
-Oct 2001: Bush announces we are going to take out the Taliban, US stock market responds as you would expect it to.
-2003-2004: Poppy production is 35 times what it was prior to the Taliban outlawing it. The Market is kicking ass, even though the average consumer has less money to spend on goods.

Ask yourself: how is that possible? I never had a chance to finish building this site once I got involved in Peak Oil, but read the links I have in place: http://www.sonsofjohnbrown.org

The effects of the war on drugs on black and latino communities has been nothing short of an economic holocaust. When you really see the effects, it really, really breaks your heart your country could have such policies.

[dmtu]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'I') seem to recall the War on Drugs started under Pres. Reagan. Is this correct? I recall crossing the border at Port Huron, and the signs saying "Patience please, a drug free America comes first". But, to me, its kind of a phony war. If the government put its whole effort into it, it could be won.
How come there are not even progress reports or the like showing the decline in drug imports and drug use? And, why even bother getting mild stuff like grass involved in the "war"? I think the "War" is just a political gimmick. If it was serious war it should have been over by now. Anyone agree?

[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('usmcjcr', 'D')ear Pot Head: I see you're from the Bay area. No wonder you would love to have a free ride on drugs. You are living a fools dream if you think legalizing any habit forming drug would be in our children's best interest. I've lost a brother to drugs (he's doing his 5th or 6th prison term - I've lost track). The tole taken by illegal drugs upon American society is beyond calculation. If you or your family has yet to be harmed by drugs or drug users just give it a little more time. When a druggie steals your possessions or kills a loved one you'll come to understand the danger. But being from the Bay area I know I'm wasting my time trying to convert you. Only after becoming a victim of a drug user will you see the light. As for the DARE it is a wonderful national effort to lead our children away from drug use. SUPPORT IT don't KNOCK IT....

[Terran]

woops above post made by me, I just didn't log in I was in a rush to reply.

[crossthread]

I agree that the "war on Drugs" is a complete waste of time,,, though with exceptions....cocaine, "crack", herion" and "meth", these are the things that Law enforcement should be concentrating on....
But busting someone of a quarter of smoke is just crazy, then putting them in jail for it is just outragious...... Efforts should be concentrated on education or reablitation....
I'm going to say I'm a "admitted" user of ganga,,, but,, I'm wondering how members of this board feel about the "medicinal" uses of this "soft" drug... Which is what I "use" this drug for,, ... I'd rather use marijuana insted of "opaites" that leave me comatose for hours at a time,,, Marijuana leaves me free too still be active while living a decent quality of life with miminal pain, and not leave me "disoriented".....
We all seen what the proibition on wiskey/beer had accomplished,,, why not end it on Marijuana? Regulate/tax, and and provide it on a doctor's recommenation...
Why charge someone with a felony with "mandatory"imprisionment of 10 years with 2 plants that are 6" tall; When a person who "swindles" people outta millions of dollers get's only 5 months in prison,, or robbing a bank only gets you 6 years?????

I would like to see the day that I can grow 1 or 2 plants for my very own personal use without fear, or persicutition, that I'm using it for my personal use on myself within the privcy of my own home treating pain, and enhances my quality of life.....
Just my .02

[MattSavinar]

Anybody read Catherine Austin Fitts piece on "Narco Dollars For Dummies"

However you feel about the war on drugs, it will really blow your mind.
You know the feeling you got when you really learned about Peak Oil? I had a similiar reactin from reading her article. Will post a link in just a moment.

Matt

[KiddieKorral]

Do you have a link?

[MattSavinar]

http://www.narconews.com/narcodollars1.html

It's very in depth and certain parts I had to read two or three times, but I honestly feel that unless you read this article, you have no idea what you are talking about, regardless of your actual position on the war on drugs.

Super intense stuff.

Matt