WSJ:
In the 40 years since U.S. President Richard Nixon declared a “war on drugs,” the supply and use of drugs has not changed in any fundamental way. The only difference: a taxpayer bill of more than $1 trillion.
A senior Mexican official who has spent more than two decades helping fight the government’s war on drugs summed up recently what he’s learned from his long career: “This war is not winnable.”
Tax it, eliminate the profit, and quit. Makes sense to me.
Growing numbers of Mexican and U.S. officials say—at least privately—that the biggest step in hurting the business operations of Mexican cartels would be simply to legalize their main product: marijuana. Long the world’s most popular illegal drug, marijuana accounts for more than half the revenues of Mexican cartels.
“Economically, there is no argument or solution other than legalization, at least of marijuana,” said the top Mexican official matter-of-factly. The official said such a move would likely shift marijuana production entirely to places like California, where the drug can be grown more efficiently and closer to consumers. “Mexico’s objective should be to make the U.S. self-sufficient in marijuana,” he added with a grin.
There are huge health implications. Schizophrenia, paranoia. Do you really want to walk down the street with legalized users? Don’t validate the use. Tobacco isn’t the same. Alcohol isn’t the same.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL0692965620080507?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
http://www.acde.org/common/Marijana.htm
Agree 1000%. Legalize, regulate, and tax it. But I don’t know how you sell this to your moralistic right wing friends. Drugs or tobacco have never appealed to me, I much prefer a glass of good wine, but our policy of this is just silly.
Wish we could segregate people who choose to be in an altered state from those of us trying to get along in life. Try working or living with someone on meds sometime. Lotsa fun. Watch them have a meltdown in the workplace and consider yourself lucky they didn’t have a gun or a knife.
Legalize it? Maybe. But it is no fun having to co-exist with with people who are on drugs, whether legal or illegal. I have some empathy for those who need pain meds, but they’re not easy to be around or work with. Life is tough enough without them.
no need to be around stoners…perhaps we can just put users away for even longer for first time offense…yes that includes the rich kids too
I think we should look back at the futility of Prohibition. I would guess that all (or, at least, most) of us who comment here are against drug use and discourage it whenever we get the chance. That said, we spend a remarkable amount of time, money and effort trying to stop something that we can’t really seem to stop. What we do increases the profit margins and the violence level. I can’t tell you that I have made up my mind as I think that you all make a good points and it is a tough choice. But I do think, as RDW says, if we taxed it and regulated it, we might have more control and more chances to educate rather than just imprison. And I really do think education makes some difference. I think that it’s something we should at least consider. But, CF, maybe this would be more a topic for your next book. It’s a massive issue.
KC, it is a tough decision however, during the time we are educating you will encounter stoners…is that what you want? I am all for trying to make a profit at the legalization of it and at the same time get people off of it…but is that realistic?
Does singapore have a rampant drug problem? I know if you are a dealer or user the punishment is severe…i think they hang you (not sure someone should verify), now that is over the top but how about caning? Do they still have a vandals problem?
whatever-
I don’t think that you are wrong. It’s a drag to have to try to deal with someone who, as Ex-Pat puts it, is in an altered state. It’s a sincere and fair response. And your questions are fair and thoughtful. It’s just that I’m not smart enough (or, okay, maybe a little too wishy-washy) to say that we shouldn’t look at other solutions to this seemingly endless burden. There are so many issues here. I would like to find ways to avoid putting people in jail but I hate the violence and the fact that the profits are clearly there and, apparently, worth fighting over. If there are other avenues which we could seriously consider to relieve or even get rid of this problem, I think we should. But I don’t have that much knowledge about this and I hope there are wiser people than I debating this.
KC, the reason William F. Buckley, among others, advocated legalizing drugs is that it seems a hopeless job – we’ve spent billions (trillions?) corrupted entire countries, enriched gangsters and, maybe, interdicted 10% of the supply. Bring it in, tax it, give up.
Chris-
When discussing these issues, I often think back to the movie, Key Largo. As they wait for the hurricane, the hoods happily remember Prohibition and hope that it’ll be back soon. I don’t remember the exact quote but they convince themselves that this time the mobs will work together instead of fighting. It seemed illogical to me as a kid. I finally get it now, though.