The War on (some) Drugs

[Mythsaje]

Back in the eighties when it was really ramping up, when Nancy Reagan told us all "just say no" and a plate of eggs was being compared to our brains, I sensed serious trouble coming down the turnpike. When pre-employment drug screening became increasingly popular, and invented statistics about productivity started making national headlines, I was left shaking my head at how easily we were to fool as a nation.

Yes, drugs can be bad. I've known my share of addicts. Alcoholics, speed freaks, potheads, and prescription drug fiends. But it should be obvious to anyone who's been paying attention that the alleged "cure" has turned out to be far more dangerous than the original problem.

People have always used drugs of one kind or another. If not alcohol, then hashish, or maybe opium. Some cultures used them for religious purposes, others for recreation. But drug use has been around since the dawn of time. No matter the motivation, there's no way even a concerted effort by any government or group could wipe it out.

But by convincing the American people, for starters, that this scourge was SO bad, so detrimental to society, that nearly any measure would be worth the harm, they set the stage for much of what we're seeing today.

Nearly half our prison population is there because of non-violent drug offenses. We're throwing more or less innocent people (innocent of any intent to harm others, at least) in with psychopaths and vicious killers, and telling ourselves that this is justice. We make jokes (or at least tolerate jokes) about prison rape and that's okay.

The racial disparity in sentencing is a big clue that, to a great extent, the drug war was initially motivated by racism. In fact, some of the early attacks on cannabis were done under the auspices of protecting white women from "sex-crazed negroes."

A lot of questionable tactics were used in the war on drugs, and far too few people stood up against them. It was dangerous to question the WOD. It was dangerous to oppose random drug testing at work. It was dangerous to possibly be mistaken for a "druggie," or, at least, to be suspected of somehow sympathizing with them.

"Druggie" is even an acceptable insult in certain circles, allowing people to discount anything someone who may be a "druggie" might say about anything.

This isn't to say that drugs aren't often destructive. But, frankly, a LOT of "legal" drugs are dangerous, and not only those that get you high. We could start with Vioxx and move straight on to common pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Or we could go to alcohol (the only drug recognized by the government as specifically "crimogenic") or nicotine.

The problem is that the drug war has been sold so well, that even though it's generally seen as a failure, far too many Americans still buy into the argument that it's necessary. Despite the fact that part of the reason certain drugs have made it into nearly every community in the country has been because of insanely high profit margins created in large part by the Drug War itself.

In other words, rather than acting to resolve the problem, or at least diminish it, the drug war has made it much worse than it had been.

No candidate can afford to attack the drug war. But, unfortunately, that's exactly what needs to happen. Because this, as much as anything else we can name, has done terrible damage to our democracy, and set the stage for such debacles as the "war on terror."

We should have "zero tolerance" for "zero tolerance." We should be approaching this rationally, with all effort being put to reducing the harm drugs can cause. Instead, our whole society's approach seems to be going the opposite way. Rather than reducing the harm, we seem dedicated to increasing it. Not only in terms of personal costs, but also in costs to society itself.

And that's just criminal.


This rant brought to you in part by this excellent post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2496606

[gateley]

1. K&R!

[dmallind]

2. Rational, sensible....and doomed.

Hands up who wants to be the first US politician to seriously attempt to decriminalize even dope?

I have no interest in the stuff myself, but I'm fine with legalizing and taxing it and regulating the production with FDA control. This is no personal bias here - but any politico who tries for this is going to lose not only the attempt but more than likely their seat.

Maybe if we fix education first and teach people critical thinking skills we can get to this after a generation or two. But before that? Not a chance.

[truedelphi]

3. Thank you mythsaje

It starts so early.

Years ago, when my feisty three year old would be all amped up, my dad woul d give him a few swigs of beer.

When I was a handful, my mom would give me a teaspoon of brandy in a bottle of water.

Now a days, even mentioning doing this would be considered child abuse.

But we are talking about using the oldest of medicines once every two months or so. As compared to the approved course of daily ritalin and baby tranquilizers etc.

People don't eat right, so they need drugs to calm their espophagus down. They have to work two and three jobs, so they can't sleep from the stress of their lives, and they take sleep aides.

The cholesterol is high, and the person could have several stalks of celery as a snack, or they can take cholesterol-lowering drugs.

So what if the side effects for some of these drugs include liver or kidney impairment, or stroke or heart attack.

BE healthy and die! the drug companies claim.

And we comply!

[Mythsaje]

4. "Don't do drugs. Except these, and these, and these, and these..."

All approved by the government, and guaranteed to help the pharmaceutical companies turn a profit.

It's the American Way.

[truedelphi]

9. My biggest drug use these days is an overly strong pot of peppermint tea

My stomach and intestines wera mess all this summer.

Several herbalist friends insisted that I start drinking peppermint tea. I hate the taste of it. Just hate it.

But one day in the bouts of pain and bloating, I thought, do I want to be healthy or not?

Two pots of peppermint tea later, all symptoms subsided.

Who knows what it was?? Acid reflux, irritable bowel. I don't know and don't care.

Just glad that for $ 3.95 a week, I am healthy again.

And I am starting to enjoy the flavor!

[Mythsaje]

10. Ginger works pretty well too.

I can't stand peppermint either.

[Beam Me Up]

12. Peppermint should be illegal.

Any herb that can't be extracted, patented and sold by a corporation should be illegal.

/sarc/

[truedelphi]

13. And me and my pot of tea should be off in a gulag

Can't have any medical peppermint tea users hanging around.

Those pushers over at Celestial Seasoning should get theirs too!

[tavalon]

15. Funny story

Well, not so funny, actually. I got to see that game played from start to finish with a certain drug. It started as a supplement that helped build muscle mass (safely, not steroidally), was a phenomenal sleep aid (appropriate amounts of REM and deep restorative sleep), was even an aphrodisiac at higher doses and had a high that was similar to alcohol without doing damage to the liver or kidneys. It was the most amazing supplement. But then the government decided that people were enjoying this safe drug a bit more than they wanted so they went on a media blitz to convince people that this supplement was actually a very, very, VERY dangerous drug. They pushed and they pushed and they lied and lied and before you know it, it's the most dangerous, illegal drug ever, one sip and YOU WILL DIE!!!! Or get raped!!! And so on.

About 2 years after they made this supplement into dangerous drug numero uno, a pharmaceutical company got exclusive rights to this drug and is now manufacturing it as a narcolepsy drug and an insomnia drug and I'm sure next year, they will come up with another use and guess what? They're beginning to turn record profits and it may even become a bigger seller than Ambien, which is currently our nation's biggest selling sleep aide.

I watched this fiasco from start to end as I was taking the supplement as an aid for my insomnia and I bought it surreptitiously until it became too dangerous to and nowadays, I'm thinking of getting my doctor to prescribe it, though it chaps my butt to give that pharmaceutical company a dime!

Wanna play "Name That Drug"?

[Mythsaje]

19. I'd rather not play...

;) though I'd certainly like to know the name. Something like that might well be very good for my wife, whose fibro-myalgia has made it very difficult for her to sleep. If there was a better drug for her to be taking than the one she's on, I'd love to hear it.

[tavalon]

21. That is the next big marketing push for the drug

And being a nurse and a researcher, I can tell you it's the safest pharmaceutical you will ever find for that purpose and many patients with fibromyalgia are beginning to use it and have good luck with it.

Its new name is Xyrem, its old name was GHB and everything the government told you about GHB was a lie. Everything that Orphan Drugs tells you about Xyrem's safety is the truth, though they have been required to sell it in a very restricted manner to stay on the right side of the DEA. Your wife's doctor would need to sign up with the company that markets Xyrem and the medication would be sent to you through their dispensing pharmacy.

It was amazing and appalling to watch the game from start to finish. If I hadn't lost the best sleep aid ever during the fiasco, I think I wouldn't have found it so appalling. But really, I probably would have. I don't appreciate watching my government lie so baldfaced and get away with it so completely. I guess I should be used to it by now, but I'm not.

[Mythsaje]

28. GHB? Really?

I know little about it other than how it's portrayed in the media.

[vogonity]

20. GHB/GBL? (n/t)

[tavalon]

22. GBL is a precursor

GHB is the one I was talking about.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

39. Damn, you beat me to it. . .

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

32. I want to guess GHB or GBL?

It can have similar effects to all of those you listed.

[Bongo Prophet]

18. Conversely, any natural plant substance should be as free as nature intended.

no sarcasm needed!

:)

[porphyrian]

5. My friends and I used to call each other druggies with affection.

I think that this, like so many other things, is an example of people just wanting to make problems that aren't theirs go away in the fastest and most permanent way possible, compounded by trusting authorities to do the job without questioning their motives or methods. *sigh*

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

38. My friends always say "Hey pothead!"

It's cool though because they understand me and always say it like a normal greeting.

My friends are kickass

[Asgaya Dihi]

6. Thank you, Mythsaje nt

[Mythsaje]

17. You're quite welcome.

It's an important subject, and one I know something about.

Long before I came here I was involved in many discussions on-line about just this topic. The abuses surrounding the WOD are legion and it's something we need to be talking about on a national scale.

[Hydra]

7. I remember being ridiculed back when HIV was discovered for demanding a cure be found

I argued it was a simple disease. Others took the stand that anyone who got infected deserved it, since it was spread by sex.

The truth doesn't change just because people are hateful and stupid. HIV/AIDS is still just a disease, and fundies and other church wackos that want to say that it is a sign from god against what they consider "sinful" doesn't make it so.

The truths involved in the "War on Drugs" and the "War on Terror" and the "War on Crime" are the same. The causes of human misery is often the actions of another human trying to take something away from the first human, and since the first human would rather not stop, he/she blames the person they're trying to steal from.

You think this is absurd? What I encountered with the HIV is a "War on Sex." Next they'll have a "War on Food" or a "War on Water," since we're already having a "War on Jobs" and a "War on Housing."

[Lilith Velkor]

8. If the 4th amendment doesn't apply to druggies, it doesn't apply to you.

I tried to warn people for 20 years, but nobody listened. Now they cry to me about it.

Harumph.

[Mythsaje]

11. I know the feeling.

I gave the same warnings.

:shrug:

[abq e streeter]

16. The fourth amendment? read about it in the hisory books

because that's the only place you'll find it. My retired judge friend that I mentioned below has said that for years when the subject comes up......Only slightly off the subject, I am happy( and proud) to say that Richardson's newest appointee to the NM Supreme Court is a mutual close friend of myself and the retired judge,and has an impeccable track record of support for civil liberties. But with the 4th amendment down the toilet nationally, I doubt he can do much of anything to change that.

[abq e streeter]

14. that made entirely too much sense

to have any possibility of having any impact on the craven , gutless men and women who make up the vast majority of our elected officials; Democrats included. Here in NM, it was a right wing/libertarian governor who at least had the guts to make it his mission to speak out for full legalization, while Democrats, including Lt Governor Denish ( among MANY others), fell all over themselves to denounce him for this. He ultimately appointed a commission, chaired by a good friend (and retired judge) who IS a progressive Dem, that recommended legalization in its report to Gov. Johnson. Of course, you all can guess how far its recommendations got.. At least Gov. Richardson has been vocal in support of medicinal marijuana, but nothing more. Reminds me of The Simpsons medicinal pot episode where Dr Hibbert prescribes pot for Homer's eye injury, and when Homer asks : isn't pot illegal, Hibbert replies: "only for those that enjoy it". About sums it up , I'd say. I personally will NEVER assent to drug testing for any job , and I do NOT use any illegal drug whatsoever, but the fact that America has rolled over and accepted the extraction of bodily fluids to see what you were doing at home on your own time, as a condition for being able to work to "put food on your family" is absolutely sickening. Not surprising, but sickening.

[tavalon]

24. I work in an area that drug tests nearly 100%

It is my career and I love it so I consent, but very angrily. I don't use illegal drugs because I choose not to, not because I fear the pee test. Those tests enrage me. I did find a line that after I crossed it once, I swore I would never do it again. One of the travel nurse companies I worked for had me pay for my drug test. I told them that I would never pay for another one of those tests and that if they planned on charging me for another, I would not work for them again.

[abq e streeter]

27. damned frustrating, isn't it?

I didn't mean to try to sound morally superior in refusing to work for anyone that does this. I've been fortunate to not have had to make the decision to refuse the test and lose my job. If I was in your position, my refusal might well have turned into the same angry, but "what can you do" giving in to take the test. So my "never" may be a little pompous; if I had to , to survive and feed my family, I don't know that I wouldn't do exactly as you and countless others have done. There should have been mass refusal when this BS was starting; I fear its much too late now. Thank you for taking the time to reply to me, Tavalon---(and I'd wish you Happy Holidays, but then I'd be part of that insidious and evil war on Christmas and Christianity...)

[tavalon]

31. I'm a pagan so I don't have that Christianity chip on my shoulder (what a bunch of crybabies)

Yeah, I had to give in to keep my career in medicine. It sucks and I hate it.

[Pawel K]

43. I remember gary johnson wanting to legalize it

I was a kid still but I remember people all over the place mocking him for it. It's a damn shame, its local governments that will need to take the step in the right direction and when Johnson was in power it seemed like that might finally happen. Its also insane that a republican would be such a powerful voice on the issue, this should be an issue them democrats not only here in new mexico but nation wide should be on top of.

[mdmc]

23. kick

[Romulox]

25. Fantastic post! Unfortunately, most elected dems seem to support the War on (people who use) Drugs.

[spanone]

26. Kicked And Recommended

[pdrichards114]

29. Not all drugs are bad, some are great!!!

[reggie the dog]

30. there are no drug tests

in France, except for the police.

[Djinn]

33. very very few in Australia either

some jobs with a public safety component (drivers, pilots, crane operators etc) have random testing but an American union organiser buddy tells me it's not unheard of the US for unskilled jobs with zero safety aspect like cashier and shelf stackers.

For a nation so keen on "freedom" they sure care a lot about what other folks willingly ingest.

There is no war on drugs and never has been. It is a war on working class and poor drug users.

[BB1]

34. you know that's not true.

nowadays you can get tested as a driver, and if found positive on a marihuana-test, get your license revoked. Silly, 'cause everyone knows the THC-residue will stay in your body for some weeks, even if the effects have worn off.

Basically you can smoke some dope in the Netherlands on monday, take the train to Paris on friday, rent a car on saturday, drive around on sunday and spend all of the next week in a french prisoncell, lose your license and get into some trouble where-ever you're from. (Damn us dutchies!)

[SOS]

37. Skip France, go to Germany...

Germany has developed a test that measures THC so accurately that it is similar to the alcohol test.
Trace amounts won't get you arrested in Germany.

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/371/germany.shtml

[BB1]

40. If this cathes on in Holland,

I'll have to change my habit of smoking while driving...

[reggie the dog]

47. hell yeah,

right through Switzerland and up into Germany should be an option in 2008. Supposedly they will join the Schengen zone so there will be no more border partrols to cross to get into or out of Switzerland ( I already know roads in the north leading out into France from Switzerland where there is no border patrol.)

[reggie the dog]

46. what?

they only test with the saliva tests now. If they still do a roadside piss test you get found innocent when you go to court because they cannot prove when you smoked. I know 2 people that got the old piss tests and they were both found innocent of DUI here in the Var. It has been years since the cops even try to run with just a piss test.

If you fail one of the new saliva tests though you CAN be found guilty but it is still an "expermental" test so you can probably get out of it at the European council level. I doubt a French judge would be happy to have their time wasted with someone from the Netherlands who didn't have any half burned joint in the ashtray and the cops know this.

In France they talk tough on laws when they pass them then just do not enforce them too much.


In terms of pre employment drug testing it is basically non existant except for cops.

[BB1]

48. like harrassed travelers at airports,

foreigners who are suspect of anything to do with drugs, can (and will be at times) treated as drugtraffickers. There's little love for those. jail first, questions later.

Nonetheless you're right, the laws they talk about are tougher than the laws they actually have. But we're catching on in Europe. Sure. I'm free to leave my passport at home when traveling to Germany. Only to find out they have the same info on me as in Holland. No wonder. And you don't want to get on a plane at all these days. Last time I took one the security-officer made me take off my armyboots, only to admit not five minutes after I caused a small scene from which my girlfriend decided to back out off that there are numerous ways to smuggle a bomb onto a plane, and that hiding one in your boots is a dumb way that no-one uses. Still had to take 'em off, though. And I even count for honest and famous where I come from, just not rich.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

35. And, except for bicycle racers

many drug tests, random searches.

I don't know about other sports in France, like the French Open (tennis) at Roland Garros.

[MsMagnificent]

36. I just love your essays, Mythsaje

Always, always intelligent, rational and edifying.
You, Nance and MadFloridian are the best writers here, IMHO.

Just wanted to thank you and give kudos and credit where it is eminently due.

[debunkthelies]

41. War on Some Drugs

I wonder how long it would take to end the war on drugs, if all elected officials were required to submit to drug testing, just like someone working at McDonalds?

[Pawel K]

42. Great post. My problem is nobody in our party leadership seems to give a shit

why isn't the war on drugs one of the lead issues the democrats are focusing on? Believe it or not most americans agree that this war has been destructive. I had a good conversation about this with my republican bosses a couple weeks back, I was shocked to hear them talk about how the drug war has hurt this country.

[Asgaya Dihi]

45. That's a good point

Wouldn't it be ironic if the current repub identity collapses and they find their new one in reform? It's not out of the question, growing parts of the Christian movement are starting to notice the poor and the AIDS problem and wondering why they haven't done more about it, drug policy groups built around churches have been around a few years now such as this one. As more of their core supporters lose homes and jobs the denial of aid and the hard ass routine is going to wear thin maybe.

Personally I think our leaders in both parties are afraid of the sound bite, soft on crime was always a dangerous accusation in the past and they are too worried about it to move on the subject. Situation is changing though and I think it could be an issue. Especially if the racial balance of the system and aspects of the sort are worked properly. Whoever realizes that and moves on it first is going to be the party of the 30 years following it, I hope we're smart enough to make it us.

[Uncle Joe]

44. The War on Drugs and the The War on Terror are both literally impossible to win.

As I've said before Marijuana simply doesn't give a damn, if it's burned as a doobie, in a bong or in a police confiscated bonfire, but how many prison orphans become casualties from this war? I believe both problems treated as war will only feed and magnify them, but I've also come to the conclusion that's what many in power want. They say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, I believe our corporate controlled government has reached that stage, they do this because they and their corporate benefactors want total control over our lives. What they can't do with the War Against Drugs, they make up for with the War Against Terror, another asinine or Orwellian term as you can't possibly defeat terror or fear in a war.

The real war is being waged against the American People's freedom and independence from their own corporate controlled government. Just like a python they squeeze a little more on our privacy with each exhale of resignation that we give toward whatever new restrictive atrocity, they dream up.

Thanks for the thread, Mythsaje.

[reggie the dog]

49. they will never win

So long as I am alive the government will not win the war on drugs. I got shit stashed in places the cops wont even imagine to search. Cannabis is the ONLY plant the US governemnt wants to make extinct. (poppies and coca are not on the list because they are schedule II drugs which have medical use according to the feds.) That is why I plant pot, leave it in the woods, do not harvest it etc. all in the hopes of creating feral cannabis patches.....

[Ariana Celeste]

50. Over a few half grown mushrooms and 6 grams of pot,

I am a felon. I spent a little time in county, spent 6 months in and out of court, and got 1.5 yrs probation. $15k in lawyers fees between my ex and I, $5k bail each. I've temporarily lost the right to vote. I had to sign away my right to bear arms and no longer have any rights regarding search and seizure. Police and probation officers can enter my home at any time, for no reason at all, to search my house and my person. I get to piss in a cup every other probation appointment. It's always fun to have somebody watching you piss in a cup. I've been pleasantly awoken to Breathalyzer tests.
I have to have permission to leave the county, permission to vacation out of state. Everything about my life is documented every time I visit that office. Since I was transferred to another state, I was placed in high risk when I got here- I've done the interview that's supposed to determine whether I'm low risk or high risk, but it's up to my PO whether or not I actually get moved. Regardless of being determined low risk, I still have to visit the high risk dept. Which means while I'm sitting in the lobby waiting to see my PO, I'm sitting with violent offenders, rapists, various sex offenders.
My mother, in her own home, cannot have beer in her fridge, because I live here.
I was harassed by officers while in county, harassed while being arrested. And I'm branded for life now. I may lose the felony, but I will always have charges on my record.

Over a few half grown mushrooms and a little bit of pot. Did my treatment make anyone safer? Fuck no. I was a fucking hippie that enjoyed a bit of pot and an occasional trip and maybe overindulged in whiskey from time to time.

[ellisonz]

51. Legalize Marijuana Now!