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Cut wasted government spending, end the war on drugs

M

mikeford

Diamond Member
How much longer will we keeping paying the huge price of a failed misguided war on drugs? Its still a political third rail, but seems to me that 5 years from now the budget is going to be seriously fubar, and when that happens all the third rail issues are going to be on the table.
 
Save money and put contaminated drugs out on the street. Solve the problem once and for all.
 
It's never going to happen.

Can you really see them closing half the prisons and laying off half of the guards?
 
The war on drugs puts money in a LOT of pockets that are highly motivated to keep the money coming, and the general public fears "drugs" like the plague. Drug terror propaganda had its greatest effect from maybe 1930 until the middle 60's, creating a demographic of people now 45 and older with a strong bias against drugs, but time I think is diluting the strength of that bias. Most unfortunate is that current drug policy pushes the movement to more dangerous drugs, and I hate to think what is going to show up next. Tight controls on OTC cold medications that are used to make Meth surely will reduce the amount of the drug on the street, but zero Meth heads are going to switch to beer, its going to be somethng else and who knows what hell that could stir up.
 
The war on drugs has failed no matter how you cut the cards. It has spawned a multi-billion dollar underground industry that is run by thugs and criminals. Additionally, it creates criminals since many crimes are committed by addicts trying to get money for their next fix. Since cutting off the supply increases the price, the addicts have to commit more crime in order to get enough money for their drugs.

The war on drugs has failed so miserably that the government can't even keep drugs out of its own prisons.
 
What is your government doing with regards to 'the war on drugs'?

Everyone has something to say about it; what are the goals; what are the government's solutions?
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
What is your government doing with regards to 'the war on drugs'?

Everyone has something to say about it; what are the goals; what are the government's solutions?
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The goal is to have zero drugs in the US. The goverment has no solution just running around with its head cut off locking up people.
 
Eaglekeeper has a point. Contaminate the drugs with a picker-upper that makes people feel like getting clean shaven, take care of their kids, stay off the street after dark, work hard during the daylight hours, get decent sleep, stay calm under stress, and obey the majority of laws.
 
Colt 45 is right. The support mechanisim for the 'debacle on drugs' is way too big and way too strong to shut down. Prisons, the DEA, the ATF, Narcs, INS & Border Patrol, State & Federal parole, Customs, etc. That's just a fraction of the payroll. Millions of people put food on the table fighting the 'joke on drugs" and they will not simply surrender those jobs. Once the giant pig got to the money trough and started eating, it became impossible to pull him away.
 
While we are on it lets cut off the 6 trillion war on poverty. NO is a prime example of how much that war has failed.
 
Originally posted by: tommywishbone
Colt 45 is right. The support mechanisim for the 'debacle on drugs' is way too big and way too strong to shut down. Prisons, the DEA, the ATF, Narcs, INS & Border Patrol, State & Federal parole, Customs, etc. That's just a fraction of the payroll. Millions of people put food on the table fighting the 'joke on drugs" and they will not simply surrender those jobs. Once the giant pig got to the money trough and started eating, it became impossible to pull him away.
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Don't forget the billions every year in federal handouts that our Congress makes available for drug interdiction equipment. FLIR systems, aircraft, boats, eavesdropping equipment, etc. There's an entire industry supported by this ongoing and neverending war. They aren't likely to give up those handouts without a fight.

 
I agree with the OP. While I used to be an avid smoker of pot, it being illegal never stopped me from buying, transporting, or smoking it. If the world stopped and it was somehow made legal, I would not pick it back up again. It is a waste of time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.
 
Unfortunately, any candidate who even hints at the idea of ending this fake "war" is immediately dismissed as a member of the lunatic fringe. Decades of propaganda have serious effects.
 
Yes, legalize it. That's all I've got to say. The gov't can get tax dollars from sales, and the tax on it can be like 80%. Addictive drugs can be overpriced like a mutha and people will still buy it. Just like the price of cigarettes. If it were 10.00 bucks a pack, people will still buy it.
 
Interesting thought. Now back it up.

How much is spent each year? Then compare that to how much revenue is brought in from fines/confiscation of cash? Finally, compare that net number to the overall budget and show us the impact it will have.
 
Drugs desperately need to be decriminalized. At best, users are hurting nothing. At worst, they're hurting only themselves. Because we lock them up, violent criminals who actually deserve to be in jail are set free after just a few years - there's only so much room in prisons, after all.

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Save money and put contaminated drugs out on the street. Solve the problem once and for all.
Click to expand...

:roll:

Originally posted by: Genx87
While we are on it lets cut off the 6 trillion war on poverty. NO is a prime example of how much that war has failed.
Click to expand...

Off topic, but agreed.
 
If people are concerned about the loss of jobs were the war on drugs ended, we don't have to just cut everyone loose. How about shifting those resources towards getting illegal aliens out of country? Or you know, actually fighting terrorists?
 
I feel very strongly about this issue.

The War on Drugs has such a profound effect on our world, but it's difficult to describe to someone who hasn't taken the initiatize to learn about it themselves.

Some say money is the root of all evil, others say power. The War on Drugs combines Money and Power, and is IMO, the root of most of the world's evil.

Certainly there will be problems with legalized drugs. The reality is, it would still be infinitely better than what we're doing now. I suggest everyone who is interested read the essays contained in the book The Disinformation Guide to the War on Drugs.

Oh, there's a problem with legalization. Our service economy is greatly enhanced by the drug market's money laundering needs. If that business simply disapeared it would have a very serious detrimental effect on our economy.
 
Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Save money and put contaminated drugs out on the street. Solve the problem once and for all.
Click to expand...

Gotta love your way of thinking: kill all those that do drugs, because your little brain can't comprehend people being different than you, and therefor they are a problem.
I personally view religion (any religion) as a much more harmfull type of drug. Why don't we kill all religious ppl too while we're at it, eh?
 
I've talked to several people who work on the Police's drug task force, these guys are basically swat team/special investigators focused soley on drugs. Pretty much every city in america has one of these "task forces" in thier dept (and they usually get a large budget, from local and fed govt)

At first I was surprised that they all had the same solution to solving the drug problem: Legalize everything.

They all came to the conclusion that everyones life would be much easier if every drug (no matter how severe, even Meth and Crack) should be freely available at every corner store. The govt would save billions in fighting it. And make billions in sales tax, assuming they will be taxed/regulated about the same as cigarettes.

Though in reality they will not legalize everything in the short term, but for now they should at least legalize marijuana.
 
Originally posted by: Train
I've talked to several people who work on the Police's drug task force, these guys are basically swat team/special investigators focused soley on drugs. Pretty much every city in america has one of these "task forces" in thier dept (and they usually get a large budget, from local and fed govt)

At first I was surprised that they all had the same solution to solving the drug problem: Legalize everything.

They all came to the conclusion that everyones life would be much easier if every drug (no matter how severe, even Meth and Crack) should be freely available at every corner store. The govt would save billions in fighting it. And make billions in sales tax, assuming they will be taxed/regulated about the same as cigarettes.

Though in reality they will not legalize everything in the short term, but for now they should at least legalize marijuana.
Click to expand...
I ran into the same down in Louisiana talking with some deputy sheriffs. Legalizing (or at least decriminalizing) marijuana would reduce jail populations, reduce drug-related crime, and reduce costs to the cities/counties/states.
 
Sure. And take any present government funding out of anti-drug programs. And drug users should forfeit their "right" to healthcare related to their abuse.

I have no problems with druggies if they nicely would die for their choices.
 
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