War on Drugs, or War on Drug Uers?

[Buck Fush]

I thought this was an interesting topic, so instead of hi-jacking the DEA Agent thread I decided to start a new thread on the subject.

Some points of discussion:

• Is the "War on Drugs" effective?
• Is it even really a war?
• Has it had any effects, good or bad, in the "War on Terror"?
• Do drugs have any legitimate ties to terrorism?
• If we were all allowed to grow our own, would it end terrorism?

I don't have time to make any arguments right now, so I'll join the conversation later.

http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm

Edited to remove spelling errors. Sorry I'm just learning how to use spell check.

[leejo]

I don't think the WOD is effective in the United States, though it may have shaped politics in South America. I don't know enough about that situation to be able to tell if these policies have helped or hurt relations with the USA. I guess if I had to choose between a cocaine cartel leader who assasinates judges running Columbia, e.g., and someone less tied to that line of work, I'd go with the latter.

The WOD has most certainly been a war. It's been a special operations war, fought in S.A. jungles and in Mexican and American slums. Has it been a "good" war? I don't know.

I think it's had a negative effect in the War on Terror because it has created a large black market. A huge black market. If Pfizer became the leading distributor of marijuana and cocaine, the profits would be returned to the stockholders, and not kept in the pockets of the shady characters who run the business today.

Cing assures me that drugs have ties to terrorism and I believe him.

If we were allowed to grow our own, many things would end, but not, I'm afraid, terrorism.

[ScratchMonkey]

"Uers"?! What were you smoking, dude?!

A couple of sites with email newsletters I subscribe to:

http://stopthedrugwar.org/
http://drugpolicy.org/

I own a house that used to be a crack house. The residents were not the upstanding citizens one wants as neighbors. Had the stuff been legal, they would never have been able to compete with legitimate sellers and would not have been able to afford to stay in the neighborhood.

Profits in drugs come from high risk. Eliminate the risk and the profits dry up. At least for the slimey people who can tolerate that level of risk.

[CingularDuality]

Originally Posted by leejo

Cing assures me that drugs have ties to terrorism and I believe him.

If we were allowed to grow our own, many things would end, but not, I'm afraid, terrorism.

No, the ties between the illicit drug industy and middle eastern terrorist organizations are financial ones and, although not insignificant, are not huge.

Oh, and I say legalize and regulate recreational drugs immediately. The "war on drugs" is about as successful as prohibition was...

[AMosely]

I'm completely against the current war on drugs, and would love to see congress rewrite the books. It's the costing the country far more than anyone realizes in terms of legal infrastructure (police, courts, jails). However, many other issues, both domestic and international, are trumping it right now, which is a shame.

Cronkite had a nice writeup earlier this month:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/walter...t_b_16605.html

Frontline ran a fantastic documentary on the methamphetamine epidemic that I highly recommend. Very good insights on the concepts and lessons learned from decades past.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/view/

[Buck Fush]

Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey

"Uers"?! What were you smoking, dude?!

LOL. Busted.

[leejo]

I just saw this article and think there is certainly a war going on. I'd like to see these laws rolled back and certain drugs treated like alcohol. I'm not sure I support making heroin, x, crack, etc., available at the local 7-11 though.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...orld-headlines