The War on Drugs

Yo Mamma

The "war" on drugs and the opinion that we are winning, bears close resemblance to a fantasy make believe Oz type land, with a yellow brick road leading to a bleak and desolate landscape.

It has become an of out of sight out of mind type culture and mindstate. Just like when a child misbehaves and is sent to their room if for no other reason than to just give the parent a brief respite. Addicts also get banished, if for no other reason than to pad statistics, wallets, and wipe hands clean. They are castigated and thrown in cells where access to drugs is simpler and easier to come by. They emerge more dependent, a less desirable member of society, and a hardened criminal to boot.

If this is the standard of winning then I really would hate to see what it would be like if we were "Losing" !!

From the Haughey era we have pumped up ourselves up with rhetoric, and as a country, wrapped ourselves in "just say no" catchphrases (which had about as much social value as a catchphrase you might hear on The Weakest Link) , and DRUG programs. Both amounted to a waste of breath, and a
squandering of of taxpayer money respectively, in which the unrealistic message wasabandoned once kids are old enough to make their own decisions.

A personal experience harkens back to the mid 80's, as under the watchful and giddy gazes of my peers I took my first toke of herbal stimulation. Nobody pulled a Bill Clinton on that night, and what once had our palms sweaty in peer-pressure induced anxiousness, soon became an after school ritual. It's a typical story of mis-spent youth and experimenting. A growing up process for anyone who isn't attached to their parents' hip.

Most arrive at that experimentation crossroad where you either head down the path that allows a vice to consume a life and motivate your every movement. Or you travel down the road were a drug of choice simply serves as a recreational tool to unwind, have a little fun and let a mind float through the clouds for a bit.

Shouldn't that be a right living in our free society? Why does this country continue to obsess like a lovestruck teenager over personal choices and trivial matters such as buying a 10 spot, or easing problems with a puff puff session in personal homes. Why do we harshly criminalize non-violent offenders who need assistance not prison cells, if it doesn't infringe on others' rights, and directly hurt anyone else? Why do only celebrities get the help they need, and chance after chance?

The drug war has simply become draped in typical red tape politics, where people do not want to think outside the box, changing an obviously flawed system for fear of looking bad. Marginalized addicts have become pawns in an exploitative political game, that actually flies in the face of our Governments supposed Ideals.

Xterminator

The war on drugs is not succeding. That is clear. what is not clear is what we should do next.

We should have the right to personal freedoms, in this society, but we also have the right not o be held up by junkies with syringes, not to have our cars stolen, not to have our houses burgled, by addicts seeking there next fix.

So if allowing poeple to become addicts, causes misery to the citizens of our society, then the greater good demands the we be protected, as much as possible, hence drugs being outlawed.

A lot of people argue that perhaps cannibis should be legalised.
There are strong arguements for this. Many drug dealers make a large profit on cannabis, which has no quality control, guidelines for reccomended dosage etc.

If the government allowed over the counter sales for cannibis, drug dealers would be dealt a severe blow (pun intended).
It does have negatie effects, (as do cigarettes, alchol etc.) and warnings to this effet could be placed on packaging, and it woukld be possible to limit the distribution until users are a certain age, as with cigerattes and alchol. (not infallible, but usually pharmacists have more of a social conscience that drug dealers).

But there are arguments that cannibis is a gateway drug. Certainly i know from personal experience, that addicts do start on hash. They graduate to harder drugs. Not everyone does, but some do.

But then perhaps cigarettes are a gateway drug? If you didnt smoke, then you would not be very likely to smoke a joint!

I just want to add dealers are filth.

X

Gargoyle

The War on drugs is a waste of time. If people want to ruin their lives, of course we should discourage them from doing so. In the end, however, they must be responsible for their own lives. If they decide to do so despite that disouragement, so be it.

Red Moose

If enough people decided to give into a legal temptation and got as righteously ****ed up as drug *addicts* do, then why should the people who have jobs, pay taxes have to support people who can choose to do sod all but get high all day and still get dole, housing, support, etc., .?

Maybe that's why Alaska and Sweden made cannabis illegal again?

Edit: forgetting for the moment about the problems with alcohol and cigarettes. Most people are okay, but even still would an extra legal drug of such nature *improve* our country? Would it not be just another addition to the list of causes of car accidents, etc., ? It's taken years for the current drink-driving regulations, such as the Christmas presence of Gardai on the roads to keep it down. Imagine the chaos with a drug that can't be detected as easily, or is more difficult to quantify consumption?

Gargoyle

Originally posted by Red Moose
If enough people decided to give into a legal temptation and got as righteously ****ed up as drug *addicts* do, then why should the people who have jobs, pay taxes have to support people who can choose to do sod all but get high all day and still get dole, housing, support, etc., .?

They shouldn't.