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Should the U.S. legalize drugs for Mexico's benefit?

Should the U.S. legalize drugs for Mexico's benefit?

  • Yes

    Votes: 15 28.3%
  • No

    Votes: 24 45.3%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 13 24.5%

  • Total voters
    53
Make manufacturing, sales, and exportation of drugs legal. Murder and extortion would decrease rapidly. Tax evasion would be the same as there is with any other industry. Include taxes on the drug industry to pay for public and private addiction treatment programs.

I agree Mexico should legalize, so our problem is no longer their problem. But we should keep heroin, meth and crack illegal here and secure our borders. Securing our borders is the key. If they can't get their drugs into the US the Mexican drug problem is over. All our drugs will then be Made in the USA.
Legalizing drugs is like giving amnesty to all the murdering thugs that caused all the problems.
 
At any rate, my particular opinion is that we should legalize and regulate drugs for our own benefit, not Mexico's.
 
I agree Mexico should legalize, so our problem is no longer their problem. But we should keep heroin, meth and crack illegal here and secure our borders. Securing our borders is the key. If they can't get their drugs into the US the Mexican drug problem is over. All our drugs will then be Made in the USA.

It is a practical impossibility to secure the border. Period.

Legalizing drugs is like giving amnesty to all the murdering thugs that caused all the problems.

How so?
 
I agree with this. I think that if drugs were legalized, companies would jump on it and they would create franchise businesses dressed up like McDonalds or Applebees to cater to recreational drug consumers and people would rather go there than to some kind sitting on the curb of the street, just like most Americans prefer to go to franchise restaurants rather than eat meat on a stick that's been sitting out all day from some vendor who got the meat from who-knows-where.

Well, I think dispensaries may be government run like ABC stores. I guess it depends on the state. I would love it if a coffeehouse culture developed.
 
You post an opinion to support your opinion? Brilliant!!!

Well it is in rebuttal to your opinion, and then adding a bit of common sense and encouragement to actually use a bit of logic to evaluate your nonsense position.

Here another tool to help you examine your opinion from the same thread, this time analogy, and I will quote myself:

That is about as silly as a person who lives next to a lake expecting mosquitos not to breed because they mopped up a mud puddle in the driveway, it also - as has already pointed out - was NOT why pot was decriminalized in Mexico, nor was there ANY expectation of it doing a thing to curb violence.
 
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Legalizing drugs is like giving amnesty to all the murdering thugs that caused all the problems.

Just because someone would no longer be found guilty of drug trafficking doesn't mean they would no longer be found guilty of murder while drug trafficking.
 
Well, I think dispensaries may be government run like ABC stores. I guess it depends on the state. I would love it if a coffeehouse culture developed.

Yeah, but that would mean government control of a now legal industry, and we all know how conservatives feel about that. ;)
 
Just because someone would no longer be found guilty of drug trafficking doesn't mean they would no longer be found guilty of murder while drug trafficking.

The Mexicans can't convict them now. Witnesses die and that would continue. They still have the muscle and the firepower.
Secure the borders.
 
Well it is in rebuttal to your opinion, and then adding a bit of common sense and encouragement to actually use a bit of logic to evaluate your nonsense position.

Here another tool to help you examine your opinion from the same thread, this time analogy, and I will quote myself:

I wasn't forming an opinion. I was stating a fact and the fact is that Mexico decriminalized drugs in an attempt to curb cartel violence.
 
Yeah, but that would mean government control of a now legal industry, and we all know how conservatives feel about that. ;)

So, not only do you want to legalize drugs, you want the drug industry to be nationalized? OMG!
 
I agree Mexico should legalize, so our problem is no longer their problem. But we should keep heroin, meth and crack illegal here and secure our borders. Securing our borders is the key.In a fantasy world only, the cost to seal our borders would be in the trillions of dollars, or more..It would make China's Great Wall undertaking seem as a walk in the park. If they can't get their drugs into the US the Mexican drug problem is over. All our drugs will then be Made in the USA....Nothing to be proud of.
Legalizing drugs is like giving amnesty to all the murdering thugs that caused all the problems.
Its the scum here in the USA, the drug users ,who have created this problem, the Mexicans and others has only answered the call.
Solution: .....better people, in all areas, including a great many "law-makers".
 
You think the Zetas and other scum in Mexico are just going to say "hey drugs are legal in the US, I guess we can't shoot our competition in Mexico and keep all the profits for our selves anymore"? Does Marijuana and other drugs stop becoming profitable just because there legal?

The profit doesn't go to zero, but it does plummet. The prices are high partly because of the risk incurred by those who sell drugs. A competitor can break into the market, but they have to do so with an arsenal - guns to off rivals and subterfuge to hide from the authorities take money, and with inflexible demand they pass that on to the desperate addicts. A legalized, regulated market in America could allow the drugs to be made here, provide jobs here, and provide tax revenue here, instead of fund criminals there.

how much is an 1/8 in California and other states with legalized medical Marijuana, I know back in the 90s when I used to smoke an 1/8 was 20 dollars,a dime was 10 dollars, a half oz was 50-60 dollars and an oz was 100-120 dollars and I think a quarter pound was around 250 dollars( I say "I think" because that is what my friends say they purchased that much for, I never purchased anything that big)?

Medical marijuana isn't really legalized recreational marijuana. Even cocaine is a schedule II drug as it is used in hospitals for eye surgery. But what the hospitals pay for legal cocaine eyedrops has very little to do with the street price of cocaine.

I think the motivation was so that the police do not have to waste their time of petty drug users. I think only a few "lets legalize drug idiots" assumed it was to reduce violence.

Actually it does reduce violence because non-violent users are more likely to become violent offenders after incarceration, because the profits are less likely to be attractive enough for "bad" people to kill over, and because lower costs lead to less economic-compulsive crime (e.g. heroin addicts being burglars).

So, the cartels are going to start playing nice, just because drugs are legal in the United States? Somehow, I seriously doubt that.

I think that instead of the United States legalizing drugs, Mexico should look into a serious death penalty for cartel members. It's not our fault that they can't fight crime that is committed in their own country.

No, running a cartel won't be as profitable anymore, so you are less likely to be able to buy what you need to run a cartel, and the profits will be less likely to be of the kind to motivate desperate people to risk their lives.
 
So, not only do you want to legalize drugs, you want the drug industry to be nationalized? OMG!

Umm, no, I said the drug industry would probably be mostly privatized. I was responding to a post that said that the drug industry may be partially government-run in some states.
 
I wasn't forming an opinion. I was stating a fact and the fact is that Mexico decriminalized drugs in an attempt to curb cartel violence.

Except your "fact" is incorrect, this is not why they did it, hell even jamesrage corrected you on this. It is just plain silly to even think that is why they decriminalized it, yet you are claiming it as fact now.. this is NOT why they decriminalized drugs.

Why the hell would anyone think that Mexican decriminalization (mud puddle in the driveway) would effect violence that is a result of the US market (that huge ass lake in the backyard)? Your position and what you are stating to be factual is flat out wrong, and is completely nonsensical.
 
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Its the scum here in the USA, the drug users ,who have created this problem, the Mexicans and others has only answered the call.
Solution: .....better people, in all areas, including a great many "law-makers".

We have the technology and resources to secure our borders. One solution is to place our military bases on the border and let them actually defend the country and give the boys something to do while waiting to ship out.
 
I'm watching "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon is calling for the U.S. to start legalizing drugs to stop the drug violence in Mexico. He says that the U.S. is the highest consumer in the world of illegal drugs, so U.S. demand dictates the prices for Mexican drug suppliers. So if the U.S. started legalizing drugs, Mexican drug violence would decrease and help bring back order.

So my question is this: if U.S. consumption of illegal drugs is causing problems in Mexico, does the United States have the responsibility to legalize or decriminalize drugs so that Mexico loses it's black market as a drug supplier which will reduce drug violence in Mexico?
We should legalize drugs, especially Marijuana, for Their and OUR benefit.

Drugs do not cause Violence, Illegal/Expensive Drugs, "The Trade", causes violence.
The Mexican President is Correct in that respect.

Not to mention exporting $10 Billion to foreign countries every year for an easily grown at home crop.
and saving Tens of Billions more on enforcement; Police, Courts, Jails, etc.
Nice to be able to lower state and Federal taxes.

I don't want to pay $35,000 a year (and more taxes for the whole DEA/state systems) to keep someone caught with Two ounces of pot in Jail.
Thanks.
 
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We should legalize drugs, especially Marijuana, for Their and OUR benefit.

Drugs do not cause Violence, Illegal/Expensive Drugs, "The Trade", causes violence.

Not to mention exporting $10 Billion to foreign countries every year for an easily grown at home crop.
and saving Tens of Billions more on enforcement; Police, Courts, Jails, etc.
Nice to be able to lower state and Federal taxes.

I don't want to pay $35,000 a year (and more taxes for the whole DEA/state systems) to keep someone caught with Two ounces of pot in Jail.
Thanks.

Meth on it's own does cause violence.
 
Meth on it's own does cause violence.
It Can, more so than most/the vast majority of drugs and could be handled differently.

But the Meth Strawman Doesn't refute the Gist/Bulk of my proposition.

And [awful] Meth is oft used because it is a homemade Cheap drug.. which would be replaced by better less 'violent' ones if all were legalized/also cheap.
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Meth on it's own does cause violence.

Using that broad brush, alcohol on its own can cause violence.. we don't go around jailing people for drinking just because there is a potential for violence, instead we wait until there is actual violence. Why should we act differently for meth and jail people because of potential crimes.

Hell If we are going to apply that reasoning, and go down that path, then maybe we should arrest people for being poor because not having money can cause people to steal.
 
But that doesn't answer the question: Do you believe the U.S. should legalize or decriminalize drugs to reduce drug violence in Mexico?

No, it is their problem, not ours......;)
I like how other nations blame all their ills on the U.S. & ask for help while they simultaneously thumb their noses at us..........:roll:
 
You exagerate. Many would go straight, many wouldn't. The reality is that the massive drug profits generated by prohibition creates an "attractive nuisance" that draws many people who aren't inherently larcenous or violent.

This is complete speculation on your part, erroneous speculation......;)
 
It won't change anything, the drug cartels in Mexico won't go away because we legalize drugs, they'll just move on to other lucrative crimes. Anyone who thinks the drug kingpins are going to go "Oh gee, drugs are legal now, I guess we'll have to get legitimate jobs!" is out of their minds.
 
Using that broad brush, alcohol on its own can cause violence.. we don't go around jailing people for drinking just because there is a potential for violence, instead we wait until there is actual violence. Why should we act differently for meth and jail people because of potential crimes.

Hell If we are going to apply that reasoning, and go down that path, then maybe we should arrest people for being poor because not having money can cause people to steal.

Just saying meth changes behavior and can lead to violence on its own. It ruins lives and kills people. It should never, ever be made legal.
 
It won't change anything, the drug cartels in Mexico won't go away because we legalize drugs, they'll just move on to other lucrative crimes. Anyone who thinks the drug kingpins are going to go "Oh gee, drugs are legal now, I guess we'll have to get legitimate jobs!" is out of their minds.

I don't think drug kingpins will say, "Oh gee, drugs are legal now, I guess we'll have to get legitimate jobs!"

Rather, I think they will say, "Oh gee, drugs are legal now, I guess we have legitimate jobs!"

They won't have to go get legitimate jobs because their current jobs are now legitimate.
 
Me: Many would go straight, many wouldn't. The reality is that the massive drug profits generated by prohibition creates an "attractive nuisance" that draws many people who aren't inherently larcenous or violent.
This is complete speculation on your part, erroneous speculation......;)

Not erroneous, reasonable. Denying that it's reasonable is, well, unreasonable. And thus errnoneous. ;)
 
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