Border agent hit, killed by suspect's car

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

It is!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The wall socket argument is also facile. I am not suggesting we condone and support addictive behaviour, I am suggesting we control the manufacture, distribution and sale of these substances with appropriate warnings and support groups for addicts. We need to drive the illegal traffickers out of business because that's where the majority of criminal behaviour related to drug use stems from.

Blah, blah, blah. I'm tired of all this tolerance #######.

We're a sick country. Drug use is a disease. We need to kill it.

How might we achieve this?

Certainly not by tolerance, which will only encourage more drug use.

That's not really answering the question. Haven't the authorities been trying to stamp this thing out for many years now? Isn't it reasonable to ask why it doesn't appear to be working?

It hasn't worked because the so-called War on Drugs is a half-azzed effort and too tolerant. Put the users in jail and execute the dealers, then you'll see some results.

Hmmm... I can see just a few problems with that approach.

Still... I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that putting drug users in jail doesn't get them off the drugs (i.e. solve the problem). You don't get people off alcohol or cigarettes by banging them up in prison - why should this be any different.

More than that - we're looking at record prison populations as it is. People say that prison in the US is a soft option... from what I've heard that isn't the case, and there's no justifiable reason for putting say a person (for example, a middle class college kid with no criminal history) who is caught using a recreational drug (i.e. a trivial offence) into a violent institution that's little more than an organised ghetto for racist gangs.

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

Are you saying here that you don't have a vice?

Pretty much everyone does, though like anything - its overindulgence that's usually the problem; whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pornography or indeed - internet forums.

[garya505 2]

The wall socket argument is also facile. I am not suggesting we condone and support addictive behaviour, I am suggesting we control the manufacture, distribution and sale of these substances with appropriate warnings and support groups for addicts. We need to drive the illegal traffickers out of business because that's where the majority of criminal behaviour related to drug use stems from.

Blah, blah, blah. I'm tired of all this tolerance #######.

We're a sick country. Drug use is a disease. We need to kill it.

How might we achieve this?

Certainly not by tolerance, which will only encourage more drug use.

That's not really answering the question. Haven't the authorities been trying to stamp this thing out for many years now? Isn't it reasonable to ask why it doesn't appear to be working?

It hasn't worked because the so-called War on Drugs is a half-azzed effort and too tolerant. Put the users in jail and execute the dealers, then you'll see some results.

Hmmm... I can see just a few problems with that approach.

Still... I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that putting drug users in jail doesn't get them off the drugs (i.e. solve the problem). You don't get people off alcohol or cigarettes by banging them up in prison - why should this be any different.

More than that - we're looking at record prison populations as it is. People say that prison in the US is a soft option... from what I've heard that isn't the case, and there's no justifiable reason for putting say a person (for example, a middle class college kid with no criminal history) who is caught using a recreational drug (i.e. a trivial offence) into a violent institution that's little more than an organised ghetto for racist gangs.

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

Are you saying here that you don't have a vice?

Pretty much everyone does, though like anything - its overindulgence that's usually the problem; whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pornography or indeed - internet forums.

Here's a story for you. Some nice folks here in my area did some "recreational" drugs and got in a little argument which unfortunately resulted in murder. These nice folks (the ones that weren't dead) left two small children in the house to starve to death.

My best friend in high school ruined his life with cocaine. My cousin got drunk and killed to people in a car crash.

That's the reality of drugs, not some "let's legalize it and everything will be OK" bull #######.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Here's a story for you. Some nice folks here in my area did some "recreational" drugs and got in a little argument which unfortunately resulted in murder. These nice folks (the ones that weren't dead) left two small children in the house to starve to death.

My best friend in high school ruined his life with cocaine. My cousin got drunk and killed to people in a car crash.

That's the reality of drugs, not some "let's legalize it and everything will be OK" bull #######.

It sounds like you know some troubled people.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The wall socket argument is also facile. I am not suggesting we condone and support addictive behaviour, I am suggesting we control the manufacture, distribution and sale of these substances with appropriate warnings and support groups for addicts. We need to drive the illegal traffickers out of business because that's where the majority of criminal behaviour related to drug use stems from.

Blah, blah, blah. I'm tired of all this tolerance #######.

We're a sick country. Drug use is a disease. We need to kill it.

How might we achieve this?

Certainly not by tolerance, which will only encourage more drug use.

That's not really answering the question. Haven't the authorities been trying to stamp this thing out for many years now? Isn't it reasonable to ask why it doesn't appear to be working?

It hasn't worked because the so-called War on Drugs is a half-azzed effort and too tolerant. Put the users in jail and execute the dealers, then you'll see some results.

Hmmm... I can see just a few problems with that approach.

Still... I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that putting drug users in jail doesn't get them off the drugs (i.e. solve the problem). You don't get people off alcohol or cigarettes by banging them up in prison - why should this be any different.

More than that - we're looking at record prison populations as it is. People say that prison in the US is a soft option... from what I've heard that isn't the case, and there's no justifiable reason for putting say a person (for example, a middle class college kid with no criminal history) who is caught using a recreational drug (i.e. a trivial offence) into a violent institution that's little more than an organised ghetto for racist gangs.

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

Are you saying here that you don't have a vice?

Pretty much everyone does, though like anything - its overindulgence that's usually the problem; whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pornography or indeed - internet forums.

Here's a story for you. Some nice folks here in my area did some "recreational" drugs and got in a little argument which unfortunately resulted in murder. These nice folks (the ones that weren't dead) left two small children in the house to starve to death.

My best friend in high school ruined his life with cocaine. My cousin got drunk and killed to people in a car crash.

That's the reality of drugs, not some "let's legalize it and everything will be OK" bull #######.

Many people ruin their lives (and the lives of others) with alcohol. Conversely many don't - despite whatever anecdotes that your or I might have. Why should we the treat one group of substances different to another?

[garya505 2]

That's not really answering the question. Haven't the authorities been trying to stamp this thing out for many years now? Isn't it reasonable to ask why it doesn't appear to be working?

It hasn't worked because the so-called War on Drugs is a half-azzed effort and too tolerant. Put the users in jail and execute the dealers, then you'll see some results.

Hmmm... I can see just a few problems with that approach.

Still... I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that putting drug users in jail doesn't get them off the drugs (i.e. solve the problem). You don't get people off alcohol or cigarettes by banging them up in prison - why should this be any different.

More than that - we're looking at record prison populations as it is. People say that prison in the US is a soft option... from what I've heard that isn't the case, and there's no justifiable reason for putting say a person (for example, a middle class college kid with no criminal history) who is caught using a recreational drug (i.e. a trivial offence) into a violent institution that's little more than an organised ghetto for racist gangs.

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

Are you saying here that you don't have a vice?

Pretty much everyone does, though like anything - its overindulgence that's usually the problem; whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pornography or indeed - internet forums.

Here's a story for you. Some nice folks here in my area did some "recreational" drugs and got in a little argument which unfortunately resulted in murder. These nice folks (the ones that weren't dead) left two small children in the house to starve to death.

My best friend in high school ruined his life with cocaine. My cousin got drunk and killed to people in a car crash.

That's the reality of drugs, not some "let's legalize it and everything will be OK" bull #######.

Many people ruin their lives (and the lives of others) with alcohol. Conversely many don't - despite whatever anecdotes that your or I might have. Why should we the treat one group of substances different to another?

It's not about "fairness" to the drug varieties (equal rights doesn't apply here, haha). We already a big problem with alcohol. Do you really want to add to that by legalizing MORE drugs?

Remember, when you legalize something you send a signal to your children that it's "OK" to do it.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's not really answering the question. Haven't the authorities been trying to stamp this thing out for many years now? Isn't it reasonable to ask why it doesn't appear to be working?

It hasn't worked because the so-called War on Drugs is a half-azzed effort and too tolerant. Put the users in jail and execute the dealers, then you'll see some results.

Hmmm... I can see just a few problems with that approach.

Still... I'm going out on a limb here and guessing that putting drug users in jail doesn't get them off the drugs (i.e. solve the problem). You don't get people off alcohol or cigarettes by banging them up in prison - why should this be any different.

More than that - we're looking at record prison populations as it is. People say that prison in the US is a soft option... from what I've heard that isn't the case, and there's no justifiable reason for putting say a person (for example, a middle class college kid with no criminal history) who is caught using a recreational drug (i.e. a trivial offence) into a violent institution that's little more than an organised ghetto for racist gangs.

Yeah, "recreational drug" sounds so nice, almost like it's a good thing.

Are you saying here that you don't have a vice?

Pretty much everyone does, though like anything - its overindulgence that's usually the problem; whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pornography or indeed - internet forums.

Here's a story for you. Some nice folks here in my area did some "recreational" drugs and got in a little argument which unfortunately resulted in murder. These nice folks (the ones that weren't dead) left two small children in the house to starve to death.

My best friend in high school ruined his life with cocaine. My cousin got drunk and killed to people in a car crash.

That's the reality of drugs, not some "let's legalize it and everything will be OK" bull #######.

Many people ruin their lives (and the lives of others) with alcohol. Conversely many don't - despite whatever anecdotes that your or I might have. Why should we the treat one group of substances different to another?

It's not about "fairness" to the drug varieties (equal rights doesn't apply here, haha). We already a big problem with alcohol. Do you really want to add to that by legalizing MORE drugs?

Remember, when you legalize something you send a signal to your children that it's "OK" to do it.

The point about legalisation was about removing the power base that facilitates and perpetuates organised crime, along with the various crimes associated with the trade.

As for "sending signals" and adding to existing social problems - the point has already been made elsewhere the prohibition of anything creates an underground demand for it. Its not coincidence I think that the teenage years, when kids are rebelling from authority are the years when most people 'experiment'.

Most of these things require education, rather than outright prohibition.

[HAL 9000 96]

People make choices... both wonderful and stupid ones. You can't police choice, but you can educate it.

The legalization argument, at least the one posted here, relies more on the decriminalization aspect of the trade so as to bring certain violent aspects down and refocusing law enforcement resources towards combating the behavior that is criminal as a result of being under the influence. Not as its being bullishly printed above.

It would be hoped that with more resources available from the elimination of trafficking law enforcement we'd spend more time being less stupid in our choices.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

People make choices... both wonderful and stupid ones. You can't police choice, but you can educate it.

yes, you can.

[garya505 2]

Are there any countries where drugs have been legalized? This would include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, etc. I'd be curious to see the result. Have any of the countries that lead the world in technology and business legalized drugs?

[HAL 9000 96]

People make choices... both wonderful and stupid ones. You can't police choice, but you can educate it.

yes, you can.

Yeah, you're right. Its called creating an underground demand for an illegal product.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Are there any countries where drugs have been legalized? This would include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, etc. I'd be curious to see the result. Have any of the countries that lead the world in technology and business legalized drugs?

I'm not sure what that has to do with the argument.. but certain classes (usually C) of things have been decriminalised in several countries - notably Holland. We also have some decriminalisation in the UK, though not officially on the law books - that police essentially won't waste their time prosecuting college students... for instance.

[HAL 9000 96]

Are there any countries where drugs have been legalized? This would include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, etc. I'd be curious to see the result. Have any of the countries that lead the world in technology and business legalized drugs?

Maybe rephrasing the question would help.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

People make choices... both wonderful and stupid ones. You can't police choice, but you can educate it.

yes, you can.

Yeah, you're right. Its called creating an underground demand for an illegal product.

It also doesn't guarantee success. And as the present situation demonstrates - clearly it doesn't and hasn't worked.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

People make choices... both wonderful and stupid ones. You can't police choice, but you can educate it.

yes, you can.

Yeah, you're right. Its called creating an underground demand for an illegal product.

if it were legalized as some wish, it may still well be an underground demand depending on what price controls the government puts in effect.

and i don't know about you, but any program the government tries to run usually ends in disaster.