Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
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Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
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Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#2Easy to say, but it'll never happen, especially in the US (at least not in my lifetime, hopefully my daughters). Too many jobs would be unnecessary if the "war on drugs" was over.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#3Prohibition was great ... for Al Capone.
Cue Homer Simpson sound bite: "I haven't learned a thing"
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#4Part of the problem is too many people have been brainwashed into the "protecting us from dangerous drugs" lie. Your average Jane/Joe will say "legalize pot, but ew, meth is bad!"
The fact that we collectively choose to participate in this madness is, well, maddening.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#5IMO the battle is won in stages, and the first step in the legalization of Marijuana at the Federal level.
The next step is when we recognize the victims of the War on Drugs, specifically persons who were sent to jail because of Marijuana. You expand the affected to be people who've committed all non-violent crimes, and advocate for reform from that angle.
I don't care what the law really has to say regarding Heroin, as long as victims/addicts get helped instead of aggregated and exploited by a pseudo-warrior class.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#6IMO the battle is won in stages, and the first step in the legalization of Marijuana at the Federal level. The next step is when we recognize the victims of the War on Drugs, specifically persons who were sent to jail because of Marijuana. You expand the affected to be people who've committed all non-violent crimes, and advocate for reform from that angle. I don't care what the law really has to say regarding Heroin,…
I care what the law has to say regarding heroin. Legalize it, regulate it just like alcohol.
Being illegal didn't keep my brother from becoming addicted and dying from it. If it was legal and pure he might have had a chance.
But on the other hand, nobody is trying to outlaw tobacco and alcohol, which are the biggest killers of all. Thats what did my mom in.
So yes, legalize it and keep it pure. Educate people on proper drug use and spend money on health resources for those who need it rather than jail.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#7Drug usage is a medical problem. Without medical care, it becomes or has the potential to become a criminal problem. In the USA drug usage and mental illness are generally lumped into the criminal category, sending sick and/or mentally ill people into a the criminal justice system without any chance of treatment or remission.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#8Part of the problem is too many people have been brainwashed into the "protecting us from dangerous drugs" lie. Your average Jane/Joe will say "legalize pot, but ew, meth is bad!" The fact that we collectively choose to participate in this madness is, well, maddening.
> "legalize pot, but ew, meth is bad!"
Which, I would say, is true. Our argument should be where the facts are: It's bad, but it should be handled like a public health problem, not like a criminal problem, because criminalizing it does not protect you from dangerous drugs as the last century shows, but it primarily finances mafia groups which cost even more lives than even the most evil drugs.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#9Drug usage is a medical problem. Without medical care, it becomes or has the potential to become a criminal problem. In the USA drug usage and mental illness are generally lumped into the criminal category, sending sick and/or mentally ill people into a the criminal justice system without any chance of treatment or remission.
We should be examining a "medical court" system. It's basically each individual's right to do whatever they want but there's a line that gets crossed when they are truly sick and need help.
Re: Kofi Annan: Stop 'war on drugs'
#10I love how whenever a major world leader comes out against the war on drugs, it is always after they are out of office and generally retired from political life.