Why drugs should be legalized

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

Run time: 04:43 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZbHndilYsI   Posted on YouTube: June 28, 2010 By YouTube Member: LibertyPen Views on YouTube: 17417   Posted on DU: September 03, 2011 By DU Member: NOMOREDRUGWAR Views on DU: 1043

 
Someone sent me this video earlier. This is a narration of one of Thomas Sowell's newspaper columns from 1984. My disclaimer: I think Thomas Sowell is wrong on about 95% of issues, but he's right on this. I also think he has gotten nuttier over the year. Still, show this video to anyone who supports the drug war and they will probably at least reconsider their position, even if only temporarily.

I think this video is relevant to current events because the drug war has profound effects on our society every day of the year.

[truedelphi]

1. I agree with the statemenets made by Mr Sowell in this video.

I also agree with everything you wrote. But making a change in this is a daunting task.

One overwhelming change has occurred in terms of the time span since these remarks were been made.

The Big Pharamceutical people did not understand, way back in 1984, that the cannibinoids in marijuana could be isolated and used to prevent tremors in MS, and to shrink tumors, and a dozen other functions. Now they realize all this.

They do not want to make marijjuana legal, because they have a vested interet in owning the patents on the various cannibinoid forms of the plant, and then in being able to rake in huge profits for owning these patents.

And now the Drug Cartels are even bigger than they were 26 years ago. They clean up a family member and send him here to the US, and here, that family member buys himself an entire bank.
And then, that same person comes out against drugs, and the evils of drugs, and the need to keep those who use drugs in prison. Just as the boot leggers used to support ads saying that booze was a bad, bad thing, and should be kept illegal.

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

2. Not as overwhelming as you may think

Take marijuana - prop 19 almost passed last year. The DEA would not have the resources to prosecute small-time marijuana cases in a state. In addition, opinion polls indicate that approximately 72% of Americans 18-29 want to see marijuana legalized. that is going to happen by 2025, and eventually the federal laws will fall as well.

[Enthusiast]

3. Many extremely wealthy

Americans are profiting from the illegal drug trade. The returns on their investments are staggering. That is why there will be no relaxing of drug laws and enforcement.

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

4. Wealthy?

I thought the ones who profit from it the most are the uneducated prison guards and cops? The prison guards LOOOOVE the drug war because if we didn't have a drug war, we'd need 30% fewer guards. Same with cops.

[Enthusiast]

5. Prison guards and cops

don't have enough political clout to keep drugs illegal. The ultra wealthy can exert enough influence to keep drugs illegal and high profit. Legal drugs would lose the profit margin immediately.

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

6. But why do the ultra wealthy care?

Nt