Is the war on drugs frivolous?

[sasori1122]

Should the governments of developed nations, such as the US, Canada, the EU, Japan, Australia, etc. wind down their anti-drug effort?  Is it really effective anyway?  Are any perceived gains in this effort worth the increase in violence and organized crime the same "war" has caused?

[Z911]

I say it is, if someone wants to ruin their life mixing **** with LSD go ahead. We need solutions to fix over-population anyway.

[Willard, Lord of The Shrubs]

I say it is, if someone wants to ruin their life mixing **** with LSD go ahead. We need solutions to fix over-population anyway.

Too true. Problem is, they are not ruining only their own life, but the lives of others as well. A response could be that 'perhaps governments should then work to help the people who are harmed by the users or dealers in getting them a better life,' but then you're avoiding the source of the issue.

[sasori1122]

President Felipe Calderón of Mexico is apparently now looking at a revision on how Mexico deals with drugs, possibly even legalization.


Here's the translated article:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/699378.html

^Google translate is a little retarded, so the wording can get a bit awkward...I opted to just read it in Spanish

[Gaffit]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012302935_pf.html

Fun article (It really really isn't. Please don't read if you like dogs)

Short of it: In 2008, a package of weed was mailed to the mayor of Berwyn Heights' house. Apparently weed dealers ship out their packages to random houses so they won't be traced to one place, and then try to get to the package first. The Sheriff's office found out about the package, but decided to let it arrive thinking it could be their big bust. They didn't even check the address to figure out it was going to the mayor's. When it arrived in the morning, the mayor's wife told the deliveryman to leave it on the front porch. The SWAT team then broke down the door to their house and opened fire on their dog who was lying next to the door. When their other dog started running away, the officers shot it too. The mayor and his wife were detained by officers wielding assault rifles and imprisoned, but were eventually cleared of the charges. The mayor tried to charge the officers with lack of a proper warrant, lack of background investigation, and excessive force. Not only did nothing touch the officers, but Sheriff Jackson even said "We'd do it again. Tonight."

All over a bit of pot.

[Judgment Angel Zero]

That is all kinds of messed up.

[GAY FOR BRIDGET(HousecallDoc)]

On one side, it pretty clear that the "War on Drugs" is seemingly pointless by now. They do help on enforcing drug laws, but never really seem to make a dent to drug trade, as every time they take down a big drug dealer, another one pops up.

But on the other hand, we can't ever end of war on drugs because we're America, and we can't admit to ever losing a war, or else everyone will think we're pussies. So here's the ultimate solution: Keep the war going no forever. Because you can't lose a war that never ends.

Now that I think about it, that sounds a lot like what they're doing in Iraq.