I like your idea but you have the wrong target. It should be the head(s) of these cartels. Hurt them hard-PERSONALLY. Sort of like Tom Clancey's "Clear and Present Danger". Sure, it would be like playing whack a mole for a while but eventually they would realize that having money is worthless when you're dead. I know, a feel good idea in reality. We do have to squash the supply side while working at the demand side. And it is and always will be a tough row to hoe. I don't really want to pay for someone's rehab but the cost will be borne out somewhere. I'd rather see that cost up front instead of buried in my insurance premium or else where. I have to agree, what you do is up to you until it affects me. If you are the knot head who comes to work and gets hurt, are you the only one who got hurt? Nope. You are costing my employer money. Money that could potentially go into my pocket in the form of a pay raise.
From the day you are born you are a consumer.. as such a drain on available resources--food, healthcare what ever scenario you want to play it off as... hence a drain on society and yes even healthcare.. Children with cancer comes to mind.. But this question is about all drugs and would we be better off if they all were legal.. NO NO No is my answer.. But weed is no worse than alcohol.. Just listen to Barry he says so! When does quantity of life over ride quality of life?
1. Yes, here is a huge black market for cigarettes and alcohol. 2. Hooker, since you say punishment does not seem to work you think it should be ok to do it. Is that your philosophy for raising your child too? 3. Whether illegal or not, drug users commit crimes to support their habits.
I think if you want put drugs into your body, on your property, and you can do it without harming anyone else or their property, they yes, it should be ok to do it. Who am I to say otherwise? I'll raise my child that putting harmful things into her body is incredibly dumb and ignorant, whether that be drugs, cigarettes, or junk food. If we were to decriminalize drugs, I believe drug related crime, like violence and theft, should have harsher penalties.
That was me, on both points in question. First, the key word is "reasonably". However, the government (state governments) are already taxing it at that rate. I don't see them lowering said taxes anytime soon. Second, YES there is a HUGE black market for cigarettes, however it is mostly at the wholesale (pre-retail) level. The public at large doesn't really see it, but retailers buy black market cigs with fake tax stamps at discounted rates and then sell them to you at normal prices, pocketing the huge profit margin. Then, they very frequently send a very nice percentage of that to Hezbollah and Hamas. It is very difficult for revenue agents at both the state or federal level to investigate this activity, as the commodity itself is not contraband.
Yeah I think it's an issue overblown by movies and TV. Sure it exists, but to the level where it is even remotely comparable to the current model with marijuana being illegal? No, and it's naive to argue otherwise. There is no perfect solution to any problem guys, it just boils down to how big you view the different problems. I view marijuana as less of a health and behavioral risk to society than alcohol (documented). Others view the legalization as opening up an even larger black market than what currently exists comparing it to tobacco or alcohol. I personally think that is overblown but perhaps I'm wrong.
the commodity you reference there is not a prohibited item in unto itself....only certain people are prohibited from possessing it. The only exception to that are state/local ordinance (which are likely unconstitutional anyway) HOWEVER; again you have a commodity which is only reliably and somewhat cheaply produced at a highly regulated level, with no viable supply of black market manufacturing source. Dope is easily grown/manufactured in clandestine settings, and easily shipped/concealed. Guns are not. Apples/oranges, my friend.
No I wouldn't, but yes other people would. Can you provide a link that proves it a fact that people would avoid drugs if they were made legal?
Did I say it was fact? No, I said I don't think normal, everyday working people would all of a sudden start using hard drugs if they were made legal tomorrow.
For What Profits A Man If He Gains The Whole World But Loses His Own Soul. All the cost savings in the world wont help us as a country if we lose our souls. And once we start excepting what we know in our hearts to be wrong for the sake of profit , then we already lost something we can never regain no matter how much black ink is on our balance sheet.
I don't know about decriminalizing all drugs but I'd agree "The War on Drugs" is and always has been a complete joke. Years and years ago a documentary came out titled: "A War on Drugs, A war on Ourselves" that pretty much showed the countless billions of dollars we waste putting people in jail and fighting illegal drugs with no headway being made as far as cutting off the flow or the amount of users. No easy answers but how many years do you continue figting a "war" you're so clearly losing.
Heard an interview on hannity a few minutes ago from a sober heroin addict. He stated he couldn't drink alcohol due to developing an ulcer in grad school. He experimented with prescription drugs like vicadin. Someone told him that snortable heroin has the same high so he tried it. Claimed he was addicted with the first use. Here's the kicker, his addiction continued and got worse for the next 5 years, until he was ARRESTED. Claimed that was what saved his life and got him on the road to recovery . Now he helps with other addicts. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Related story... http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2014/02/04/study-fatal-car-crashes-involving-marijuana-have-tripled/
