Poll: The American War on Drugs; good or bad?

[BubbleGumSnareDrum]

I don't realy see why anyone would risk taking drugs, I have tried weed and to be frank i thought it was boring, (i'd much rather be drunk with my freinds). When i told my parents that they flipped out, and if I were to get caught by the police with it in my pocket on th way to a freinds house I could go to prison for possesion with intent to supply,

so i ask why risk such high tstakes for something that realy doesn't do that much?

All it takes to not get caught is to simply be law-abiding in your other actions. Obey traffic laws so you don't get pulled over. In the freak case that you do get pulled over, make sure no drugs or paraphenalia are ever in plain sight; if the cop can't see it or smell it he can't do shit about it.

Police do not ask you if it's okay to search your vehicle because they're supposed to. They ask because they're trying to get you to waive the fourth. An officer cannot forcibly search your vehicle without a warrant or probable cause (which cannot be bullshitted as easily as everyone thinks it can be) and you, as a US citizen, have the right to deny an officer's request to search. "I respectfully decline, sir/ma'am."

You also have the right to ask an officer if you are going to be arrested. They cannot detain you (IE, keep you pulled over on the side of the road) unless you are being cited for a traffic violation, which generally will not warrant a search except in the extreme violation cases one can be arrested for, or if you are being arrested for some other crime. Basically if you ask them if you're being arrested, they have to confirm or deny that, and if they deny that they will arrest you then you have every right to leave.

Police are correct in behaving as though everyone is afraid of them. It is very true that most people are intimidated by police officers, and in many cases people are not fully aware of their rights. Cops cannot do whatever they want, people mainly just giving them permission to without even realizing it.

 

[Good morning blues]

I don't use drugs, therefore I don't fucking care.

This may be so, but if you pay taxes or benefit from public funding in any way - and you most certainly do - you should care.

 

[Madshaw]

I don't realy see why anyone would risk taking drugs, I have tried weed and to be frank i thought it was boring, (i'd much rather be drunk with my freinds). When i told my parents that they flipped out, and if I were to get caught by the police with it in my pocket on th way to a freinds house I could go to prison for possesion with intent to supply,

so i ask why risk such high tstakes for something that realy doesn't do that much?

You smoked bad weed dude, if you smoked good stuff you change your mind. But thats a discussion I'm not going to start... I really shouldn't encourage anyone do anything illegal. /joke

Drug war sucks, it costs the people billions of dollars, it gets people thrown in jail over stupid shit, and a lot of fine Officers had been killed in the line of duty. The more the goverment escalates the war, the more the suppliers appear, the better armed they become.

If you remember correctly, this country (and to a lesser extent the world) didn't have such a huge Organized Crime problem till we started Prohibiton back in the early 1900's. The American law enforcement created the beast we know as Organized crime. You legalize drugs, to destroy the black market that allows this organizations to fund themselves.

By making something illegal, you don't prevent users from using, you make them criminals, you don't prevent sellers from selling, you make it profitable.

Something similar would be outlawing guns in america completely, the people who want guns still are going to get them, and instead of being law-abiding hunters/hobbists, their criminals now.

Simply isn't pragmatic.

Acording to the guy's who i was smoking the stuff with it was bud, and from what i know thats good and everyone else there was saying how good it was, and i would still rather get a bit tipsy and have a buzz,

as to the point about being careful, I am as careful as i can be bothered to be already, but i know that i am still likly to slip up at some time or other, so why should i take the risk when i can have more fun with drink?

 

[TheHorizon]

As far as I am educated (through the internetz no less) that neither pot or shrooms are addicting.
In fact shrooms are more mild than Advil (per ounce I think).

 

[Seydaman]

Much of the drug-related violence in the United States stems simply from the fact that the police are making a conscious effort to combat it. To me, the police are simply a state-run gang and nothing.

Well that is just dumb. They go out every day and risk there lives to protect you and your life. Without the police, criminals would run free, and I gaurentee that people will want law and order back. That is what is happening in these war torn African nations. No government.

bet you 20$ they wouldnt...

 

[TheHorizon]

Said the one with girly avatar.

 

[Syht]

I just think the major problem in the US is the ease taht you can get firearms, it's incentive to violence, and thus bad.

 

[YouGetWhatsGiven]

Much of the drug-related violence in the United States stems simply from the fact that the police are making a conscious effort to combat it. To me, the police are simply a state-run gang and nothing.

Well that is just dumb. They go out every day and risk there lives to protect you and your life. Without the police, criminals would run free, and I gaurentee that people will want law and order back. That is what is happening in these war torn African nations. No government.

bet you 20$ they wouldnt...

What is your reason for it.

 

[z121231211]

Is there a difference between having a war on drugs than just making them illegal?

 

[Standby]

Much of the drug-related violence in the United States stems simply from the fact that the police are making a conscious effort to combat it. To me, the police are simply a state-run gang and nothing.

Well that is just dumb. They go out every day and risk there lives to protect you and your life. Without the police, criminals would run free, and I gaurentee that people will want law and order back. That is what is happening in these war torn African nations. No government.

Thank you, you took the words right out of my mouth. People just don't like police because they keep them from doing what they want, if it's illegal of course. Remember, they don't make the rules, they just have to enforce them.

Exactly, and who do you think creates these laws? The upper class in goverment.
Maybe instead of having a system were the police keep the rich rich, and the poor in line/prison, soceity should be run in a way were people are educated and provided for to an extent were crime is not a necassity for them.

I also find it a bit rich that some people say that consuming alcohol is far better than smoking weed, despite the fact that the former is far more dangerous to your health, in addction to it being far more addictive.

 

[Jinx_Dragon]

The problem I have with prohibition is simple: Most people try to use the damage caused by the prohibition itself as justification for keeping up the prohibition. They do so without rationally thinking their argument through, believing blindly that these problems exist because of the drugs and not because of the war on drugs. I ask a lot of the people here who supported the war: was the actions caused by the drugs themselves, or by the criminal element that profits from the war on drugs?

The problems surrounding drugs and crime would decrease if drugs where made legal and put under a regulation system such as alcohol. If it was removed from the hands of criminals and put in the hands of the state there would be less crime, less death, less side effects and what problems do exist can be combated as HEATH issues, which they clearly are.

 

[samsprinkle]

Well...I'd rebel with you, but I'm far too busy being drunk and high...that's why we ALWAYS fail...

 

[742]

well, from what i understand, going to war and then taking all the enemy soldiers prisoner is really REALLY inefficient. and just a hint stupid.

i also think that even the phrase is fucking stupid. were at war on drugs. how come i can get all the ibprofen or asprin i want?

also, it is NOT effective. i know this, i was partially raised by a drug addict(who was a horrible person, pot just made her smell worse.). you should only go to war when your prepared to either utterly destroy your enemy, and accept civilian casualties or horrify them into submission (and if waterboarding is bad, flaying someone alive and making them eat their own organs for knowing someone who was suspected of using marajuana, then broadcasting it on every channel is going to be frowned upon). also, did i mention its horribly inefficient, especially when were over a trillion dollars in debt? sorry but this government NEEDS the money right now.