Time to End the "War on Drugs"?

[Formaldehyde]

Well, we're not really disagreeing. The government's statements support my argument that MJ should be legalised.

I don't see how since they are still claiming that Mexican drug lords are getting rich instead of local farmers who are actually capable of making a living by farming for a change.

Your quotation doesn't make a statement regarding the level of foreign MJ versus local MJ.

It does if you read further into the article. In fact, it goes to great length to show that the US government's figures on this very issue are just as disputable as any of the rest of their propaganda attempts to make it into a grave menace. Furthermore, the government even now finally admits that the majority of consumed marijuana is now grown in the US:

After reporting from 1998 to 2000 that domestic marijuana production was 3,500 mt (7.7 million pounds) [5] the Office of National Drug Control Strategy reported in February 2003 that “more than 10,000 metric tons [mt] of domestic marijuana and more than 5,000 mt of marijuana cultivated and harvested in Mexico and Canada— [is] marketed to more than 20 million users.” [6]

Even though they now claim that much of it grown in the US is done so by Mexican drug lords, without any sort of supporting evidence, of course...

All I'm asking is that people know their grower, and make sure he's not someone who uses a baseball bat to defend his turf.

What would you suggest they do to protect themselves from "bad people" outside of the law? As long as it is illegal, I don't see how they have much choice but to use baseball bats and other means to protect their property from others.

 

[El_Machinae]

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying.
Some pot growers are mom & pops. Some growers are thugs who use baseball bats to take turf from mom & pops. People should just be careful with who they're giving money to.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Hmm. If I have ever met a local pot grower, I certainly never found out about it.

 

[Benefactor]

People who take drugs hurt more than themselves. I know this first hand.

Why what happened first hand? Which drugs? What was the person like?

Also the article is more or less a opinion piece with statement like:
"That is why The Economist continues to believe that the least bad policy is to legalise drugs."
and
"But in our view, more would gain."

This whole forum is an opinion piece...

If money is everything I can see how they could believe this. Instead of the government fight the drug lords they would join them. While we are at it why not change our country "United Potheads of America". There is a few around who still believe some things are worth fight for.

Why is it worth fighting for? According to the article loads of people stand to benefit from the treatment centres, the lack of contaminants in drugs, lower prices, more tax money for government programs, etc. etc.
Sure, some crack addicts will probably OD themselves, but that happens anyway.

I remember just a few years ago how many were claiming if we just legalize gambling (state lottery) it would bring in tons of tax revenue. The odd thing is not long after it was legalized our sale tax went up. (they already claiming they will raise taxes again this year) Now it's pot. Riiggghhhhtttt .... pot is the answer to our money problems.

It won't automatically cure America of all its problems... so therefore you shouldn't bother at all .

 

[Smidlee]

Why is it worth fighting for? According to the article loads of people stand to benefit from the treatment centres, the lack of contaminants in drugs, lower prices, more tax money for government programs, etc. etc.
Sure, some crack addicts will probably OD themselves, but that happens anyway.

No doubt it's another one of those win/win situations kind of like the housing market. Junkies can get their drugs cheaper which in turn means they would not have to steal as much which means those of us who has to pay for their stealing would come out ahead, etc. I'm sure legalize drugs would get rid of organized crime as much as legalizing gambling did.

 

[Berzerker]

Hmm. If I have ever met a local pot grower, I certainly never found out about it.

the smarter ones dont go around wearing pot leaves on their shirts

 

[Berzerker]

stimulus package - if we cant employ people to build jails we'll put em in jail for pot so we can keep building jails

 

[Berzerker]

People who take drugs hurt more than themselves. I know this first hand.

wow, thats the same basis for racism. I know first hand of blacks who hurt others blah blah blah. Let me ask you this, do you want to be blamed and punished because I have firsthand experience with someone who hurt others but didn't use drugs? You wanna blame and punish millions of people based on what someone did but you dont want to be blamed and punished because of what someone else did...

Moderator Action: Please use the multiquote function or edit your post if making multiple replies

 

[Smidlee]

wow, thats the same basis for racism. I know first hand of blacks who hurt others blah blah blah. Let me ask you this, do you want to be blamed and punished because I have firsthand experience with someone who hurt others but didn't use drugs? You wanna blame and punish millions of people based on what someone did but you dont want to be blamed and punished because of what someone else did...

Hello???....

 

[gangleri2001]

America losing another war? LOL! It's already 4 lost wars (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Irak and Drugs)! I forsee a post-Vietnam psycosis coming.

 

[Sharwood]

America losing another war? LOL! It's already 4 lost wars (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Irak and Drugs)! I forsee a post-Vietnam psycosis coming.

They'll still claim somehow to have not lost it. Kind of like the one you didn't mention, involving that whole getting their arses kicked by CANADA thing.

 

[choxorn]

Hey, they were the British. In the early 19th century.

 

[Aramazd]

They'll still claim somehow to have not lost it. Kind of like the one you didn't mention, involving that whole getting their arses kicked by CANADA thing.

It was the Brits and we tied.

Edit: XPOST with choxorn

 

[potatokiosk]

America losing another war? LOL! It's already 4 lost wars (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Irak and Drugs)! I forsee a post-Vietnam psycosis coming.

Afghanistan and Iraq aren't even over yet and the "War on Drugs" isn't a war so that makes one lost war.

They'll still claim somehow to have not lost it. Kind of like the one you didn't mention, involving that whole getting their arses kicked by CANADA thing.

The US has never been at war with Canada.

 

[Berzerker]

Hello???....

is not an answer, the question is very clear

but I'll rephrase: do you want to be blamed and punished because you dont use drugs and a non drug user hurt others?

You accused millions of people you never even met of hurting others based on your personal experience with somebody who did hurt others.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

We have invaded Canada a few times though.


The War of 1812 was especially dumb, as the British had given into all our demands months before we declared war on them for not doing so, but just hadn't had time to get the message over the Atlantic.

 

[Sharwood]

We have invaded Canada a few times though.


The War of 1812 was especially dumb, as the British had given into all our demands months before we declared war on them for not doing so, but just hadn't had time to get the message over the Atlantic.

This is what I was talking about. And it's just more fun to say Canada beat you.

@Abgar: I hate this tied crap. You invaded another country and didn't conquer any of it. This while the British were busy fighting Napoleon. That's a loss.

 

[Berzerker]

The US has never been at war with Canada.

yes we were.

 

[Cutlass]

Afghanistan and Iraq aren't even over yet and the "War on Drugs" isn't a war so that makes one lost war.



The US has never been at war with Canada.

Back when Canada was a colony of England.....

 

[potatokiosk]

yes we were.

When? 1812? Canada wasn't a country until 1867.