Quote:
Originally posted by Peetster
This may surprise some of you.
It is nothing like the war on terror. Terrorists want to kill you. I say kill them first. Over there, if possible.
The war on drugs, however, fights a victimless crime. The way I see it, no victim = no crime. I don't buy the argument that the user becomes the victim, that's like saying we can legislate stupidity and keep people from hurting themselves.
For a start, marijuana needs to be legalized. That will give a cash crop back to the unemployed tobacco farmers.
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One of Al-Quida's largest incomes came from the poppy fields (used for opiates) in Afghanistan.
There have been links between terrorists and Columbian druglords.
The problem is a double edged sword. Keep drugs illegal feed the terrorists millions upon millions. Legalize drugs and have a whacked out nation that will be far less productive but take the money away from the terrorists.
We need to face the fact drugs are not that hard to get. In fact, when I grew up in the 80's we used to joke how it was easier to get weed or blow than to get alcohol.
Working in rehab, today the joke is, it's easier for the kids to get Heroin, Ecstasy, and Meth than it is cigarettes.
With drugs and drug addiction the inescapable fact is whether legal or not it lowers your self esteem and self dignity enough that in the throes of it you will lose your morals. However, by making it legal and with better education (instead of just saying they are evil), people may get the help they need sooner rather than when they have gotten busted committing a crime or out of money and owing someone.
Big money in keeping them illegal though. RICO Act, the laws that say the government can take property.
However it costs twice as much to keep them illegal. Policing, crime, insurance paying the crime, murder, and so on.
It's a very very deep argument both ways. Both sides have their good points but both sides have their flaws.
Personally, it all goes to morals and as we have seen, once we allow a government to legislate morals they interfere in all aspects of personal life (marriage being the big one right now).
Plus by legalizing them and not having them as a taboo, perhaps use would go down. I firmly believe that those who want to will find a way to do them no matter what. Therefore, make them legal tax the hell out of them and let the cards fall where they will.