Drug Czar admits the drug war is a failure.

reefedjib said:

Well, I never claimed utopia, that's impossible. There are always trade-offs. I am not concerned with marijuana usage as its addictiveness is small. Users don't harm anyone. That they are unmotivated is their own problem, not the government's problem. Taking drugs is not criminal as others are not harmed.

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Unless the unintended consequence is that you bring in theft, and other assorted crime to fund the habit. Oh, and a lack of motivation is the governments problem when that individual can't, or won't work due to his addiction, then he get federal aid.

The increase of heroin use is a concern, since it IS a highly addictive drug. Making it illegal doesn't solve that problem, it only creates a criminal distribution problem we don't need. Addressing the addiction and increased use has to be by education.

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It takes at least 20 years to change a culture through these means, longer if there is a fight. Your willing to wait and let things deteriorate until that happens?


j-mac

j-mac said:

Unless the unintended consequence is that you bring in theft, and other assorted crime to fund the habit.

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What has this to do with buying weed? Is there an increase in crime to buy alcohol?

Oh, and a lack of motivation is the governments problem when that individual can't, or won't work due to his addiction, then he get federal aid.

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That sounds like it is really a problem with federal aid rather than weed. I don't think people with a drug habit should be on federal rolls. Yes, drug test welfare recipients.

It takes at least 20 years to change a culture through these means, longer if there is a fight. Your willing to wait and let things deteriorate until that happens?

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I don't understand this at all. "Change a culture?", "fight?", "deteriorate?" What are you claiming? asking?

Legalization of all drugs is the only way that the drug trade can be controlled.
For the Messiah's drug Czar to admit the obvious is a minute step for sanity, but it is a step in the right direction.

Make personal use of any drug legal, subject to a certain quantity of the drug.
Should anyone be found to have in their possession any amount greater than the maximum allowable quantity, then that person should be given an automatic death sentence.

In addition so as to knock out the drug dealer, let the Pharmacy Industry distribute the now legal drugs, also let the Government control the sale and Tax of these drugs.
Money saved could then be used to wean people off drugs.

Most of the initial reason people take drugs is because of Peer pressure other reason may be because it is illegal and seen as being hip.

Only after the hook is in does the habit start the disintergration of the person begin.

Cannot see any of our Gov actually agreeing to any of this.

In addition so as to knock out the drug dealer, let the Pharmacy Industry distribute the now legal drugs, also let the Government control the sale and Tax of these drugs.
Money saved could then be used to wean people off drugs.

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Whatever do you do with the inner city poor that survive on drug income? Perhaps tax them and put that towards social programs to help the poor addicts?

There are multiple questions that have to be answered for this to work:

Does increase of penalties for drug offenses decrease use?
What are the other costs associated with maintaining an effort at drug prohibition?
Will legalization lead to more people trying it?
If more people will try it to what degree is addiction a problem? Is it as bad or worse than someone who gets incapacitated while drinking every night? Are there casual users that hold down normal lives?



Bill Moyers Journal . Transcripts | PBS