I know I rarely give my opinion, but I have to on this one:

[Rabrrrrrr]

I say, forget the people who are using drugs - if we catch 'em, let's put 'em into rehab or something, but not jail 'em.

I say: go after the evil fucks who bring the shit into the country, the uber drug lords, and the guys who are selling to the sellers. Go after them, and hammer the living fucking shit out of 'em.

The war on drugs is bullshit - we spend almost no time going after the drug lords and go after the small time idiots, because it's easier to put the small time idiots in jail than to nail the big guys. So, we just sit at the bottom and pluck off the small-crime guys like a penny arcade; but we rarely trade up for the big ones.

If we can bomb the living shit out of civilians in other countries, surely we can bomb the living shit out of drug lord homes and bunkers and shit.

It really pisses me off - we have millions (or so) people in jail for no reason, and the assholes who are running the show (probably in cahoots with the CIA and local police) don't get touched at all, except every once in a while the feds toss one to the American people to keep us satisfied.

Christ, we have assassins, we have sharp shooters, we have Delta force and navy seals and army rangers: go after these assholes!

[zanne]

1. Yup. I say to hell with the war on drugs.

Declaring war on something doesn't help. There are alot of people who, for one reason or another, become addicted to street drugs (or prescription drugs). A "war" on them accomplishes nothing. Jailing them accomplishes nothing. We need better ways to treat people who are addicted.
We need more treatment centers, certainly, but also some alternative therapy, because the one-size-fits-all approach just isn't working.

[Red State Rebel]

2. I disagree

Mainly because the little guys hopped up on drugs and driving our highways hurt and kill innocent people. My brother had someone hopped up on Meth hit his truck - the guy was killed, my brother was fine, but it could have easily turned out differently. There are no "drug lords" with Meth, just little guys cooking it in their homes. They need to be stopped at every opportunity.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Then in that case, the meth maker is the drug lord, right?

Top of the chain makes the drug lord.

But, God, meth is on such a different playing field than other drugs. It's insidious, and it's fucking everywhere. It's almost a completely different category - we almost need to be talking about drugs and meth as separate thingies, since the distribution, use, and manufacturing of meth is so completely unique to itself.

[Susang]

9. Meth isn't much different from other illegal drugs

Of course, the media would have you believe it going to ruin us all. But research shows otherwise.

1. Meth Mania - Methamphetamine (known as ‘meth’) was the King Kong of the drug war in 2005 - decried on the nightly news, the newsweekly covers, and the morning news programs . Newsweek called it “ America’s Most Dangerous Drug” (and showed gruesome photos of “meth mouth.”). The New York Times reported that it was more difficult to beat than crack.

But academic research tells a different story. According to the University of Michigan, meth use among high school students has actually declined 28% in the last five years. And the current number of meth users (583,000) is only slightly greater than the number of crack users (450,000), although the “crack epidemic” is portrayed as a thing of the past. As for the claim that relapse rates are worse among meth addicts than other drug abusers, it’s simply not true. Only six percent of those who have tried methamphetamine also reported using it in the last month. Studies find that methamphetamine addicts recover at the same rate as other drug addicts.

http://www.stats.org/stories/Dubious_Data_2005.htm

Other interesting articles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/opinion/09tierney.html?ex=1281240000&en=5437e34f4e69dfcd&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3220/7368

http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2005/08/the_meth_mouth.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. It's very different in its ease of manufacture

It doesn't take special equipment, not even any special measuring equipment, and doesn't require anything you can't find at home or at the drugstore.

As far as I know, besides alcohol, meth is the easiest home manufactured drug there is. Hell, it's way easier than making beer or wine.

It's also unique in that it transcends all demographics: young to elderly, all races, both genders, straight and gay, rich and poor. It's being used by every group that exists, except, as Cantor would tell you, the set of people who don't use meth.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. In Europe, harm reduction has proven to be quite effective.

Meth is a nasty drug and people making it should be put in jail, but I think the common user should be treated. I had a pychology professor once who had a practice as a drug counselor. She believed in the decriminalization of all drugs, because she said she saw too many common addicts get busted, put into jail and come out real criminals. It's must more effective and creates less social issues to actually treat the addicts.

[grace0418]

20. Just like people who drive drunk, people who drive wasted on anything

should pay a heavy price. Same for people who do anything to anyone else while wasted. But for everyone else, I don't give a shit what they want to do with their bodies or their money or their spare time as long as it doesn't affect anyone else.

I say decriminalize all of it and spend even a quarter of the wasted "drug war" money on real education and treatment centers. Give people a chance to turn their lives around rather than guaranteeing that they'll be lifelong criminals by throwing them in jail with murderers and rapists.

[QuestionAll...]

3. those assholes run the game. Poppy is named that for a reason... nt

[Juffo Wup]

6. Attempting to restrict supply won't work

As long as the demand (addicts) are here, it will be profitable to risk getting the supply in. If you make it unprofitable by reducing the number of addicts and convincing people not to take illegal drugs, the supply will start drying up. Drug lords aren't pursuing a political point, they're trying to make money.

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. Oh, I agree with reducing demand. But I'm speaking only from a law

enforcement perspective.

But yes, if we could also raise people's hopes and possibilities in life, make drug use an unattractive option, and otherwise wean people from drugs and keep people from getting on drugs, that also is a big help.

But from a law enforcement perspective, spending 99% of our time on the individual user is a goddamn waste of money, time, and effort.

[idgiehkt]

11. I think rehab is cheaper, isn't it?

I'm too lazy to google, but I've heard this somewhere. It's 40k per year for jail/prison, at least.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Yes, rehab is much cheaper.

And so many who are in jail for drugs were petty, casual users anyway, who weren't much of a threat. But, the law says that a drug user has to do a certain amount of time. Rapists often serve less time than someone with a bag of dope or coke.

[Deja Q]

7. 'Shadow'

A great "Blake's 7" episode. It, sufficiently coyly, makes a huge dig on the "war on drugs" - even before the "war" started in America. The rebels want to use a 3rd party origanization that sells illegal drugs. Unfortunately, they don't know that this organization works with the Federation. (in order to control completely, you have to control both sides of the law...)

[ForrestGump]

8. Sounds good to me

:headbang:

And it's refreshing to hear you for once unafraid to voice an opinion. You should try it more often.

[Courtesy Flush]

12. Huge drug lord was arrested today by coast guard

Maybe they'll release a petty user to make room for him

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. That's what made me think of it.

I saw the news, and I wonder why we aren't bringing one of these assholes in every day. Or just blowing them to shit.

[matcom]

16. You're stoned again I see

:eyes:

























:P

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. It's medicine, asshole.

:silly:

[matcom]

18. Eat a Dorito prick

ESPECIALLY if it is a RANCH flavored Dorito! :9

[knowbody0]

19. Record cash crop in Afghanistan this year - OPIUM

BinLaden and Opium, the Bush legacy.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. I say make it all legal. Wanna be stupid and mess up your life?

Go. do it. Take away the lure and it's taken care of. :hi: