Comments on: The War Against The War On Drugs

Sasha Abramsky: Economic Necessity And Shifting Mores Are Changing The Nation's Approach To Incarceration

[highiron999]

Want better schools, less crime, more productive citizens, less welfare cost, less security costs, more money for roads, bridges and transit, fewer acts of senseless violence, more respect for laws and courts, stronger support for America from Americans, less conflict between citizen action and the constitution and much more, then end the hypocrisy of our current drug laws.

Around 1908 the US Supreme Court ruled outlawing drugs was unconstitutional. The answer was to have doctors control drugs and the government regulated doctors. Same effect, yet clearly illegal.

The legal basis is not the issue, but rather what will achieve the desired end result. Anyone wanting drugs today can get them, so as a way to stop drug use, today's approach does not work. Ending or reducing desire through accurate and truthful drug education rather than inaccurate and hysterical hyperbole offers more evidence for ending or reducing drug use. This may also lead to more intelligent and more moderate drug use possibly benefiting society as a whole. Treating people with respect and an attitude of inclusion goes a long way toward building a strong, productive society. Those alienated by the current drug laws will feel embraced when the law changes.

If today's illegal drugs are so bad, how did the US get from the revolution of 1776 to 1914 and become a major global power WITHOUT the drug laws we have today? How have other societies and cultures survived without drug laws without self destruction? How did countries invest in other countries where daily drug use was the norm, rely on the local population as the work force, and still run a successful enterprise? (See Indian Hemp Report and the Jamaican Hemp Report by the British government)

Drugs are illegal for political purposes of repressing particular groups to create profit from the resulting cheap labor and additional profit from the resulting drug trade.

Legalize drugs and you starve these enterprises the same as legalized gambling and alcohol has done. Legalize drugs and all the people hiding and resisting come on board. Legalize drugs and destroy the networks that recruit otherwise law abiding citizens into collateral crimes, ID theft and other criminal activity. These citizens will become allies of America and will not dwell in shadowy areas where our more dangerous enemies may hide. These shadow areas will shrink and the human agents of danger to America will be more easily revealed.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness and yet today, sitting alone smoking pot and feeling good is against the law. Sounds like we have been saying one thing and then doing another for a long time. Enough!

Highiron999

[gunownerdan]

Marijuana has been illegal for over 70 years and today it is America's #1 cash crop.
Today drug gangs and drug cartels rule the streets just like violent gangsters and bootleggers did in the 1920's during alcohol prohibition.
It's time we realize that prohibition does not work!
It did not work with alcohol and it most certainly does not work with marijuana.
That's why many cops are saying LEGALIZE and REGULATE MARIJUANA.
Please learn more....

www.LEAP.cc
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

www.MPP.org
Marijuana Policy Project

[dickward]

Should it be about the ones in jail instead of what drugs took them there.

We call each state's as the Department of Corrections when damn little correcting is done inside prison walls.

The common denominator of why the people are in prison is a lack of education. I have a Son, who while he was in MS prison system for 4 years, earned his cigarette money by reading letters to the inmates. He would also write letters for them, for more smokes of course.

His estimate was that three out of four inside could not read or write. Did you ever know someone that could not read & write?

Is it any wonder that they got in there and they go back at a rate of 67%. This is the crime in this picture, not what they did to get sent there this time.

Legalize Pot, OK but de-legalize the lack of education that put them inside and sends them back.

If there is any politicians with the guts to make a difference, they would take away the option to quit school.

[ubrew12]

California is a state that would spend half a million dollars incarcerating a 3 strikes fellow who's last crime was, literally, stealing a pair of $2.50 shoes. Likewise the thousands whose crime is smoking marijuana cost the state billions every year to lock up.

Also, California has a 2/3rd's supermajority requirement before the legislature can raise taxes. This requirement basically says 'one republican is worth 2 democrats'. Any state that could so willingly throw away the basic 'majority rule' tenet of democracy deserves to be bankrupt and THEN some. I'm leaving the state in a few weeks, so I hope it drops into hell. And I hope the fires start in Orange county.

[snowball77]

It will never happen, the religious and often fascist politiians will continue to demand long sentences in this country for drug offences, and continue to support people with obsene wealth. I agree with the early post, that is almost criminal to be talking about this now. We live in a fascist state that has a faulty press that likes to think we are somehow better than a theocracy in Iran. Nixon's drug war has been wadged full blown for many years and our public schools have become the laughing stock of the free world. They should setup drug user zones and let the addicts shoot poison. Las Vegas seems like a great place for it. They should have decriminalized marijuana in the 1970's when it first rose to popularity. Drugs are certainingly decriminalized for the rich in America.

someone needs to report this person to the California State Fire Investigators office...Now!!!

[toddlarado]

At this exact moment our Government is arresting and jailing individuals for laws no longer backed by the Majority. Free the weed

[robotsoul]

The states stand to make a significant amount of revenue if they were to legalize marijuana. Furthermore, they will no longer be using the money that they are paying into prison systems to keep non-violent offenders penned up for a "crime" that doesn't really hurt people. More money could be saved in the future as law enforcement officials will no longer have to waste time and money chasing marijuana users here is some more about the debate: http://www.newsy.com/videos/in_pot_we_trust

[mcintoshlou]

this should make the idiot republicans wet their pants