<<
<< Tex, you already know my challenge to this: >>
Yup I do 
>>
<<
<< Please produce one person who's sole (or main) reason for not doing drugs is because they are illegal. >>
Any child who likes to experiment but doesn't want to risk getting caught for breaking the law. The same thing can be said about adults. >>
Sorry, but I don't buy it.
<<
<< I posit that the illegality of drugs has done nothing to affect the rate of addiction, abuse, or even casual use of drugs. >>
I couldn't disagree more because more people would try them out of social and peer pressure and because they would be readily available. >>
Are you kidding me? When I was in Jr High and High school, it was easier for my buddies and me to score pot and coke than it was to buy beer and cigarettes. Drug dealers are everywhere, and none of them card.
<<
<< The rate of drug abuse over the last forty years has changed only with education campaigns and the shifting of fads, and has never been affected by law enforcement tactics. >>
I'd like to see some stats on that. >>
Examples of the shifting fads:
The crack craze of the eighties
The reemergance of Heroin in the 90s
The fact that the rate of pot users has fluctuated, but never really gone down.
I cann't find a chart yet. When I do I'll post it.
However, we have the highest rate of abuse of any industrialized nation, and also spend the most money attempting to fight drugs.
<<
<< Meanwhile, I also posit that making narcotics illegal is in violation of the Constitution. The federal government has no power to do so. They needed a Constitutional amendment to ban alcohol, but not drugs? Think about that one. >>
LOL The Government already oversteps its bounds on far too many issues to single out this one. I'll concede that though because I know you did the research. >>
Thanks.
<<
<< And, finally, NOT fighting a war on drugs and driving the drug trade underground will SAVE lives. That's right. It will put dangerous drug dealing gangs and smugglers out of business and make life safer for non-users. Not to mention it will go a long way towards securing our nearly lost 4th and 5th Amendment rights. >>
I disagree. Drugs will still cost money even if they are legal so gangs will still be around. >>
How many alcohol gangs are there? Tobacco gangs? Come on Tex...
<<
<< Ask yourself this: When was the last time alcohol dealers did drive by shootings and gangland style murders? >>
Ask yourself how many children will fall victim to the addiction because now its not only available but legal? How many more people will be under the influence of drugs stealing, murdering, raping and beating their children? >>
I believe no more than we see today. If we sink the money we use on enforcement now into education and treatment, I believe far less. Holland is a perfect example of what happens when you take money from enforcement, and spend it on treatment and education. Their rate of abuse is a tiny fraction of ours, yet drug use is not criminalized, and pot is sold in stores.
<<
Will they get a pass because drgs are legal and its the governemnt's fault for making them legal and that led them to become addicted? >>
No, harming others will remain illegal, and intoxication will still not be a valid defense. Just as it is not with alcohol.
<<
And who is going to pay for the MASSIVE amount of rehab centeres that would undoubtably pop up after drugs were legalized? >>
We could literally flood the country with first class plush rehab clinics with the money now spend on enforcement.
<<
You have far too much faith in people's morality for drug use to not go up. >>
It's not a question of morality. It's a question of survival. The vast majority of people do not do drugs because they recognize that drugs ruin your life. The ones who do do drugs already don't care about their lives. NEITHER are much affected by the illegality of drugs.
<<
And the money issue is mute because drugs are not that expensive today and its the money that controls crime. All you would be doing is making legitimate businessmen out of drug dealers. And with more people using means more violence in the home from drug enduced episodes and more crimes committed to get the money for the drugs. Not to mention the skyrocketing costs of rehab. >>
How many alcoholics do you see committing crimes to get their next bottle? Not very many.
Tex, I'm sorry and I know you've led a drug free life. But because of this you have no idea what you're talking about. Cocaine costs, gram for gram, more than 20 times the price of gold. A gram of decent quality of cocaine runs about $130. Gold is what, about $350 an ounce? Hell, Pot costs, ounce for ounce more than gold. A gram of decent pot is running $25+.
These prices exist because of the illegality of drugs. In the 1920s, during prohibition, a shot of good booze cost $5.00. Before prohibition it was less tha a nickle, and was the same price soon after repeal.
The drug gangs are making billions of dollars, Tex. The bootleggers went out of business directly after prohibition, and changed their focus to drugs. Then the inner city minority gangs picked up the business and that's where we stand today.
Tex, I strongly suggest you read up on this, and look at it objectively. It's a good thing that you're ignorant about drugs and the drug trade because that means you've led a clean life. I wish I could say the same thing. But I've lived through the addiction andf drug trade and I know what I'm talking about.