Replace Drug Enforcement with something more Lucrative

[MisterAsianLover]

Drug Enforcement/Law Enforcement 'dedicated' to enforcing drug laws and punishing offenders is a very lucrative business. Billions of dollars are spent each year on police, courts, lawyers, jails etc. The police benefit, the courts benefit, lawyers benefit and the jails benefit. They all earn a great living based upon the laws designed to go against drug users.

I was reading this story from the Washington Post:



The jist of the story is that an innocent woman had her house raided and her posessions combed through because someone two miles away who was recently arrested had some past connection with the address that was currently being raided. The police got a vague and all-encompassing search warrant from a judge based upon their 'experience' as police officers and this innocent woman who now lives there was targeted. I am sure poor people in apartment complexes and elsewehere move often and so arresting someone and associating them with a now current address is stretching things WAY TOO MUCH. When I was younger and had less income, I moved every 18 months.

I was thinking about how society - particularly the U.S. and Canada - can move away from enforcing drug laws and start treating drug users as having an addiction and a health problem, not a criminal problem. And I came to the conclusion that until citizens 'allow' the government to replace the drug war with something more lucrative for all involved - police, courts, lawyers, prisons; this drug war will not stop. People will continue to get harassed and branded as criminals because those involved in administering punishment make too much money off of the drug war and its enforcement to give it up.

Just like the military spending that goes on, it won't stop until it is replaced with something more lucrative.

Makes me feel bad for all the people who have drug addictions that are spending most of their lives or a good part of their lives in prison. Simply becaus they have an addiciton.

Ironic thing is that I don't know any police officer that hasn't used drugs in their lives. My father is a retired police officer, my brother in law is a current police officer. Both have used drugs in the past.

Terrible.

How will the police celebrate after they make a major drug bust. Go to the bar and drink Alcohol - oh the irony.

 

[God]

Do talk about irony :SayWhat?:

 

[papasmerf]

pretty sure a meth-head who breaking into my house or tries to rob me will have a much great problem than addiction.

You make drug users sound like misunderstood puppies.
Fact is most will turn to crime when the money runs out.

 

[MisterAsianLover]

Most of my friends use drugs. They aren't violent people. They don't harm others. They simply use drugs just as people drink and smoke.

Too many people are in jail because of simple posession or usage.

If someone car-jacks you to buy drugs, yes, they deserve to go to jail. Not because of their drug use, but because of their theft and assault actions.

 

[papasmerf]

Sounds like you run in circles others may not

 

[MisterAsianLover]

Sounds like you run in circles others may not

Most people my age use drugs - regardless of class or occupation.

Think about this - Obama, Bush and Clinton all admitted to drug use. Amazingly, they aren't arrested and locked up.

 

[papasmerf]

So you are a regular Heroin user?

 

[Jawbone]

So you are a regular Heroin user?

I think you're out of line accusing the man of anything because he supports legal drug use.

I agree governments using drug enforcement to beat down people is unfair. The war on drugs in the US has been a complete and dismal failure. Let people live their lives as they see fit. Sell drugs as alcohol and Tobacco is sold and let the government tax it at a fair rate. This will stop the crime and stop the government from constantly raising taxes. The extra taxes raised can go towards health cost. The savings also would come from over inflated police budgets.

Just for the record I have never used drugs besides prescription drugs.

 

[papasmerf]

I think you're out of line accusing the man of anything because he supports legal drug use.



Just for the record and have never used drugs besides prescription drugs.

Was merely asking a question.

I believe the board term "DRUGS" is pretty non-specific.
Since he advocates the ideas presented in this thread.
Asking for the specifics as to his choices was to help establish his take on this argument.

I used Heroin as the question because today it is one of the 3 most widely used illicit drugs used today.
Meth and Cocaine are the other two.
Yes before you say it Opiates are huge too but they class out a bit differently as controlled substances.
Hope that helps you understand the why behind the question.

 

[MisterAsianLover]

So you are a regular Heroin user?

Well, I use Codeine, both by prescription and OTC. Codeine is in the same family of drugs as heroine.

Heroine was actually available OTC in most pharmacies until it was deemed too addictive and removed from the shelves. But, if it was available, I would use it.

Most days, I try to use some sort of drug, regardless of what it is. I like to use drugs. It makes me feel better and improves the quality of my life.

My body. I should be able to put in it what I see fit.

 

[MisterAsianLover]

Prescription drugs are drugs. One is not better simply because a doctor gave them the OK.

I have a prescription for Codeine. Some people don't. We all use it, prescription or not. I am not a better person simply because a doctor gave me a note to buy Codeine and someone else buys it on the street.

 

[papasmerf]

Well, I use Codeine, both by prescription and OTC. Codeine is in the same family of drugs as heroine.

Heroine was actually available OTC in most pharmacies until it was deemed too addictive and removed from the shelves. But, if it was available, I would use it.

Most days, I try to use some sort of drug, regardless of what it is. I like to use drugs. It makes me feel better and improves the quality of my life.

My body. I should be able to put in it what I see fit.

Thank you for the honesty in your answer.

 

[HOOKED]

This is the thing, government along with law enforcement believe prostitution is bad when we know it is not, forced prostitution is the only unacceptable form yet we are judged. A drug user taking drugs is his choice and I don't believe the government should step in unless that drug user is causing harm to the public.

 

[Jawbone]

Was merely asking a question.

I believe the board term "DRUGS" is pretty non-specific.
Since he advocates the ideas presented in this thread.
Asking for the specifics as to his choices was to help establish his take on this argument.

I used Heroin as the question because today it is one of the 3 most widely used illicit drugs used today.
Meth and Cocaine are the other two.
Yes before you say it Opiates are huge too but they class out a bit differently as controlled substances.
Hope that helps you understand the why behind the question.

Noted and thank you for the explanation.

You guys should know where I stand.

Do what you want up to the point where it affects the freedom of others and/or involves anyone under 18 years of age. You can do drugs and you can deal with the consequences if you get hooked and can't stop. Don't expect others to take care of you for it either (that's where it starts impacting the freedom of others)

If drugs were legal to buy and taxed as alcohol and tobacco the public would be spared and the junkies who need assistance could be helped.

As it stands now the public is not served because we pay for it in over zealous enforcement, jails etc.....

 

[Teach]

I use anti depressant pills and don't know what I would do without them. I also hear that over 70% of the population uses some form of medical drugs to get by.