The "war On Drugs"

killterrorists · March 22, 2009

I just witnessed something that got me thinking.

I just saw some young guy, probably no older than 18 get pulled over in front of my house. First it was just one cop car, then five of 'em, then a K9 unit they searched and found something in his car and he was hauled off to jail. Shure seems like alot of manpower for one person. I watched the whole thing and the guy getting pulled over caused no trouble whatsoever.

I got pulled over once when I was young and dumb in vegas for supposedly running a red light making a right turn. The intersection had cameras. The cops searched me and found some prescription pills that I legally shouldn't have had. The cops took my pills and let me drive away saying they would "get back to me with my charges". Now I know that the legal system in vegas is mostly for show so anything in vegas is probably not a good example.

I think that certain drugs that are physically addicting should be controlled. Drugs like meth, cocaine and heroin are good examples of physically addicting drugs. On the other hand drugs like marijuanna and mushrooms are not physically addicting and I think they should be decriminalized. I have known nuclear engineers and school teachers that liked to smoke a little erb and were some of the best people and parents I have ever met.

So what do you guys think about the drug war? I am interested in everyones opinion. Keep in mind that nicotine and alcohol are both poisons which have lethal thresholds if you ingest too much and they are both legal. Yet there is no lethal dose for marijuanna. I would rather have my tax dollars spent on honest drug education and treatment instead of incarceration.

txab · March 22, 2009

IBTL just in case. Captain Correcto where are you?

superjim · March 22, 2009

^^^^^ What TXAB said.

mr_bots · March 22, 2009

Yeah...I'm going to stay out of this. Topics covering drugs get out of hand almost as heated as those regarding politics and religion.

Zembonez · March 22, 2009

I think we have a disproportionately large number of people sucking up our tax money by being stuck in jail because of petty drug offenses. It's ridiculous for us to continue to waste millions on poor saps that get caught with a bag of weed. Even people that are against drugs 100% should be able to see that this system is not working.

Much like prohibition created much of organized crime, the so called "war" on drugs just moves the trade of illegal substances into the hands of thugs and gangsters instead of regulated (and taxed) suppliers like alcohol has now. It's pretty stupid. I'm not saying there should be a free for all on drugs, but there has to be a better way.

txab · March 22, 2009

gave20 · March 22, 2009

Much tougher sentencing would curb a lot of the drug activity. Or legalize all drugs, tax the hell out of the them like cigarettes and watch the industry crumble.

pennzoil29 · March 22, 2009

Every body has different oppinions on this, but I don't consider pot a drug. To me, it's not addicting, like alcohol is. When I drank, I had to have it, and I drank from the time I crawled out of bed, until I passed out everyday. As for smoking pot, I do it in moderation, and I don't support the dealers, as I raise my own . I will be clean and sober for 13 yrs this coming May. I've done my share of hard drug's in the past, but I never used a needle. I still pat myself on the back for cleaning myself up, and I did it all on my own, no AA or NA, or drug prevention. I had a couple people want me to speak at drug & alcohol seminar's, but that never happened. The people that they worked for didn't want me to, because I quit without help. Go figure.

Z71kris · March 22, 2009

I dont know about all drugs being bad, but meth, crack, heroin are bad....mmmkay

tobias · March 22, 2009

I think we have a disproportionately large number of people sucking up our tax money by being stuck in jail because of petty drug offenses. It's ridiculous for us to continue to waste millions on poor saps that get caught with a bag of weed. Even people that are against drugs 100% should be able to see that this system is not working.

Much like prohibition created much of organized crime, the so called "war" on drugs just moves the trade of illegal substances into the hands of thugs and gangsters instead of regulated (and taxed) suppliers like alcohol has now. It's pretty stupid. I'm not saying there should be a free for all on drugs, but there has to be a better way.

+1

Dana_15 · March 22, 2009

I think that certain drugs that are physically addicting should be controlled. Drugs like meth, cocaine and heroin are good examples of physically addicting drugs. On the other hand drugs like marijuanna and mushrooms are not physically addicting and I think they should be decriminalized.

So what do you guys think about the drug war? I am interested in everyones opinion. Keep in mind that nicotine and alcohol are both poisons which have lethal thresholds if you ingest too much and they are both legal. Yet there is no lethal dose for marijuanna. I would rather have my tax dollars spent on honest drug education and treatment instead of incarceration.

You're kidding right? Just because the drug isn't addicting (opinion btw) doesn't mean anything. I would rather have some guy driving around who is addicted to, and smoking cigarettes than some dumbass driving around high. Whether the drug is addicting or not is irrelevent, it is a mind and judgement altering drug and users present a risk to society when they are high.

I do agree about the decriminalization to a point. Certain limits should be imposed, ie amount of marijuana, distance from a school and amount of offenses. Fines should be stiff and/or the option of public service.

Every body has different oppinions on this, but I don't consider pot a drug. To me, it's not addicting, like alcohol is. When I drank, I had to have it, and I drank from the time I crawled out of bed, until I passed out everyday. As for smoking pot, I do it in moderation, and I don't support the dealers, as I raise my own . I will be clean and sober for 13 yrs this coming May.

First congrats on being clean and sober with alcohol for 13 yrs. But if you still smoking marijuana you haven't been clean and sober, sorry.

drug1? ?/dr?g/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [druhg] Show IPA noun, verb, drugged, drug?ging.

–noun 1. Pharmacology. a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.

^^Marijuana is a drug...

ALange · March 22, 2009

If weed and alcohol were discovered today and only one could be legalized, weed would win hands down in all areas as safer, healthier, cheaper, and non addictive. Alcohol however is socially and culturally acceptable therefore legal. For that I am glad because a world without Lager and Grey Goose is hard to imagine. Additionally alcohol = tax=revenue for government and weed is not in the food chain of the tax hungry politician. I say yeah to weed and nay to all others as I have seen the detrimental affects chemicals have on friends and I cannot think of a safe recreational pill, snort, or shoot. If you are caught cooking and distributing meth I am perfectly okay with you getting a 45 slug to the back of the head. I have known plenty of illicit drug dealers and can't think of one I respect. BTW, mushrooms are very dangerous.

Zembonez · March 22, 2009

The problem here is that drugs are like politics and religion. Many varying opinions exist and EVERYBODY is convinced their opinion is the only logical one. I don't smoke pot or do drugs. I do drink. I just think it's ridiculous how we throw young people in jail (to learn to be a better criminal) ovr very minor "drug" offenses.

There has to be a better - less costly - more productive way to deal with them.