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Political Views: The War on Drugs
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UofL07 Offline
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Post: #1
Political Views: The War on Drugs
I believe that a comprehensive revision of our nation’s drug policy is needed to adequately protect our civil liberties while effectively addressing the social issue of drug abuse. I believe that the government’s anti-drug policy should be re-focused along the following guidelines:

1) Legalization of non-addictive drugs such as marijuana for adult (18+ years)
. Marijuana is a non-addictive substance and does not cause serious health problems like those caused by tobacco or alcohol (e.g., strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects, emphysema, liver damage, etc.). Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning and more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and does not cause death by overdose (technically it can but you'd need to consume a ridiculously large amount to do so). Marijuana does not cause brain damage, genetic damage, or damage the immune system. Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not kill brain cells or induce violent behavior. Respiratory health hazards can be totally eliminated by consuming marijuana via non-smoking methods, i.e., ingesting marijuana via baked foods, tincture, or vaporizer. The most common problem attributed to marijuana is lethargic behavior and overeating. In addition, legal prohibition does not stop consumers from consuming marijuana nor does not stop traffickers from producing and selling it. Cannabis arrests now comprise nearly 47.5 percent of all drug arrests in the United States with approximately 10 million Americans arrested on marijuana charges in the past ten years. As such, I believe that the government should legalize non-addictive drugs such as marijuana rather than spending enormous amount of money (i.e. arresting, processing, and jailing marijuana users) on something which is not a danger to the public. Citizens would be able to grow and produce marijuana for personal and commercial purposes (commercial marijuana would be regulated by the FDA and would be subject to taxation). Laws against operating motor vehicle while impaired by marijuana would remain in place.

2) Decriminalize the use of addictive illegal drugs for adults (18+ years) but increase the criminal penalty for the production and selling of addictive illegal drugs. I believe that citizens have a right to consume any substance they wish so long as their consumption does not impinge on the life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness of another citizen. In other words, I hold that the government does not have the right to dictate what I do and do not do to my own body. However, I do believe that the government has the right to regulate the production and sale of goods (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution). As such, I believe that while citizens have the right to use illegal drugs, the government has the right to restrict their production and sale. Therefore, I believe that the goal of anti-drug policy should be to focus on the supplier side of the equation, rather than on the consumer side of the equation.

3) Outlaw random drug testing in the workplace. I believe that random drug testing in the workplace is an invasion of employee privacy. Employees should not be punished for recreational activity outside the workplace provided that the activity in question is not illegal. However, I do think businesses should retain the right to fire employees who use recreational drugs/alcohol on company property/time or if consumption interferes with work productivity.

4) I think the United States should abandon the War on Drugs and criminalization approach. IMO, the War on Drugs has been an abject failure as it:
(a) does not address the underlying causes of drugs
(b) has failure to stop or even reduce drug use
© brings up questions about personal freedoms and the legitimacy of imprisoning adults for consuming drugs they choose to consume;
(d) spends extraordinary sums of money both domestically and internationally for little positive results
Instead, I would like to see the U.S. model its drug policy after Portugal's 2001 drug reform. Individuals found guilty of possessing small amounts of drugs are sent to a panel consisting of a psychologist, social worker and legal adviser for appropriate treatment (which may be refused without criminal punishment), instead of jail. Government would shift money towards support for abuse treatment programs and primary prevention.
(This post was last modified: 07-10-2010 03:02 PM by UofL07.)
07-10-2010 10:14 AM
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bitcruncher Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
I think the government should decriminalize all drugs, provide sterile needles for addicts at clinics where they can also seek rehab if they desire (but don't force it down their throats), and provide licensing, monitoring, and regulation for the manufacture and sale of drugs...

This will remove the major source of funding for the criminal element, remove the thrill of doing something against the law for kids, slow the spread of hepatitis (B-G), AIDS, and other blood borne diseases, allow for proper regulation and control, and many other benefits. The War on Drugs was lost before it was begun. This nation learned nothing from prohibition...
07-10-2010 10:50 AM
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ctkatz Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
the war on drugs is a multiBILLION dollar waste of taxpayer money, and in my opinion is abused by some in the government to control several racial groups. how is it that one form of cocaine is punished much more harshly than the other form when its essentially the same?

one thing i found out long ago, the reason marijuana is illegal is because back in the 1900s, states on the southern border didn't like having all of those mexicans in the country. they smoked a lot of marijuana. so in order to find a way to get rid of the mexicans legally, they made marijuana illegal to have without a tax stamp and refused to produce a tax stamp. the war on drugs makes no sense at all. when you can legally buy alcohol and tobacco products (both known to damage your health) and not legally use marijuana (which has not caused death due to its usage to the person using it) there's a problem here. and with the economic situation the country is in, lifting the restriction on marijuana would allow states to produce industrial hemp and that would not only create jobs but produce a product that could be exported.
07-10-2010 02:25 PM
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ClairtonPanther Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
No arguement here
07-10-2010 02:50 PM
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ClairtonPanther Offline
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Post: #5
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
bump...
03-06-2012 11:27 PM
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WarningSigns Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
Completely agree with all four of your points.

I've never done hard drugs, but have gone through phases with alcohol, tobacco, and grass.

Never felt addicted to alcohol, but I've done plenty of things I regret while drinking.

Smoked for about two years before I wised up and quit, after several failed attempts. Stuff is crazy addictive, and quitting was physically miserable.

Grass? No problems ever, really. Never did anything I regretted, no problems using and then stopping. Does it prevent some people from getting off their asses? Sure. So do television sets.

Our current drug policy funds criminals, punishes addicts, and spends a TON of money doing it. On top of that, its done nothing to slow down usage.
03-08-2012 09:50 PM
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ndlutz Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
I'm on board with legalizing drugs. I don't think the federal government really has the power to regulate them in the first place but as this is a social argument I will save that pitch for another day.

It costs too much to regulate drugs. Marijuana isn't addictive and doesn't have major negative health consequences so it's not something that big brother should be regulating in the first place. Other drugs that are addictive can't be effectively regulated because they're addictive. People are going to do them anyway. Part of addiction is doing things that seem outside the scope of normal behavior such as taking drugs despite the potential penalties. Obviously, regulation isn't going to work there and it's therefore a waste of money and resources.

It's also unclear whether marijuana has medicinal value. At the current time, it's listed in a category which says that it doesn't. Due to the government's obvious bias against marijuana, it's safe to say it's not getting off that list any time soon and that serious studies aren't being undertaken to determine if it does indeed have medicinal qualities. That's just absurd to me. All angles should be examined when there is a potential medical gain and for a substance as low risk as marijuana I think this is a no brainer.

I disagree about barring employers from drug testing their employees. Employers have liberty too. Just because at some point citizens may gain (or regain?) the liberty to use drugs when they want to does not mean that employers should lose the liberty to determine who they want to hire or what their drug policies are within their organization. If they don't want their employees to use drugs that's their choice and they should be able to continue to ensure that their policy is carried out by either not hiring those who test positive on initial tests or firing or reprimanding those who test positive once employed.

In addition, the one legal argument that I will make is that drug users aren't a protected class by employment discrimination law and they are unlikely to ever be even if drugs were to be legalized. We protect against discrimination based on religion, race, gender, etc. and being a drug user is highly unlikely to ever make its way into protected class status.

I would also be slightly concerned about increased DUI due to legalized drugs, however, I suppose that would be a bridge that we'd need to cross when the time came.
03-09-2012 12:47 PM
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wild bill Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
To the OP it'd be nice but it won't happen for another 50 years though.
03-09-2012 01:02 PM
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Kruciff Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
You want all this stuff to happen? You know... the common sense stuff? Stop voting politicians into office. Appeal to the people you want to see in office to run. The intellectuals, the engineers, the scientists, the succesful businessmen, the CEO's of succesful non-profit charity organizations, e.g.

Personally, If Neil DeGrasse Tyson were to run for president I'd personally campaign for his election until America saw it through. The man's genius and common sense is unparalleled by anyone in the sphere of modern media.
03-12-2012 06:00 PM
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Fanatical Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
Quitting is easy! I've done it twenty times!

But seriously, make it a state issue, and keep the feds out of it. A reason many states won't decriminalive is because they'll lose fed moneies. So sad.
03-14-2012 06:15 PM
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brista21 Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
The War on Drugs needs to end for all the reasons already stated here. Its the biggest waste of national resources going. We waste tens of billions of dollars a year on this crap all because private prison operators and defense contractors clearly want it to continue to fatten their bottom lines. The religious right is even starting to say legalize it.
(This post was last modified: 03-16-2012 11:12 AM by brista21.)
03-16-2012 11:12 AM
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bitcruncher Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Political Views: The War on Drugs
brista, the biggest reason drugs are illegal is because there is a good bit of curruption, and it's an excellent source of hidden income for those with an agenda...
03-16-2012 12:37 PM
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