DynamicHalfDuo

The War on Drugs is a particularly American example of government interference in citizen's private affairs. In typical government fashion, the taxpayer in America has supported the invasion of homes, schools, and vehicles by government officials in the name of stamping out drug use - some sort of prohibitionist fantasy gone horribly wrong.

Because of the political landscape, challenging this outright assault on a very fundamental human right - that being the right to privacy, as enshrined here in America in the 4th amendment - has been deemed political suicide. Candidates wish to be seen as being "tough on drugs" by slapping harsh penalties and jail sentences on those using and abusing drugs - ignoring medical advice seeking rehabilitation as a much fairer alternative.

Well, that's not entirely true - the rich are able to seek rehab over prison time.

However, a legal challenge CAN be made, and it all hinges on the abortion legislation.

Abortion, you ask? What can that possibly have in common with the war on drugs?

Allow me to bring to your attention the pivotal 1978 decision by the US Supreme Court in the case of Roe v. Wade. This decision found, essentially, that the government could not deny the plaintiff an abortion on demand, because - listen closely - what a woman does with her own body is protected under the 4th amendment, and not subject to government jurisdiction.

The extrapolation to drug policy should be obvious; however, due once again to the political landscape, the legal challenge has not been made by any of the entrenched politicians, and those facing charges have not had the audacity or the legal resources to make the case.

It is up to us to be aware of this right - not a privelege, or a bonus, but a right - and ensure that our friends and relatives are aware of it as well. In particular, we need to make our local representatives aware that we have a right to use our bodies as we see fit - and that throwing kids in jail for smoking weed, or punishing people for being helplessly addicted when simple rehabilitation could truly save their lives, or spending billions on increasing prison space for victimless criminals such as "drug offenders", is NOT the answer.

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dianejapa

here here timmy! that's totally true about the roe vs. wade thing. we even learned about that in high school but i never thought about how that statement can be applied to other things.

the war on drugs for the most part is pretty stupid. i can partially understand why they're doing it, but it's definitly true about what you said above and our right to privacy. what i do with my life should be my business. i know they're never going to make all drugs legal or something, but at least weed. that is the most rediculous of them all. how many millions are spent keeping basically harmless stoners in prison? millions that could be spent on other things that are actually effecting the rest of the country. but the us is basically just to stubborn to ever even think about legalizing or even decriminalizing it. i miss living in toronto

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chipakapockets

America's "War on Drugs" can be placed on about the same intelligence level as calling the Agent Orange campaign in Vietnam a "War on Trees." For every million dollars the American legal systems spend on their petty war, for every successful bust they make, drug trafficking and synthesis facilities grow further underground, more isolated and more plentiful. The American government and law enforcement agencies will never wipe out drugs if they try to violently stomp them out. If they want rid of them, they should head along the path of Holland. After no longer enforcing laws on drug use and trafficking, after making their sale inherently legal, drug use dropped after a 10 year period. After 30 years, the time period which we sit in now, Holland has the lowest per-capita drug use rate in the world. Why? Because they have successfully made drug use boring. So many people use drugs because it is illegal, and a "rebellious" thing to do. When it is no longer rebellious, it loses its flavor to many people.

The American government spends, on average, an approximation of 2-2.3 billion dollars of revenues every year on police and court activities revolving around charges related souly to marijuana every year. This is from POT alone. Imagine what positive things could be done with that money or, if legalized and taxed, imagine what things could be done with that EXTRA money to benefit society.

The problem is not the drugs, the problem is the system which does not allow them to exist out of fear for what they might do. Holland overcame this fear and created a beautiful society because of it. But the world has yet to follow that example.

PLURR, Live it, Eat it, Be it,

Chip

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RoB-B

I beleive it was you dynamic who said something about a phiolsopher stating it is your body, you can do what you want to it, and who is to say that drugs are bad.

This was back in a thread about banning raves completely

I have some to realize this, i tell people that all the time.

But at the same time, drugs do cause negative effects, and that is a fact.

Kids dont get thrown in jail for smoking weed, or even being high. But for selling them.

I think you are being a little harsh when you say the cops throw people in jail for having an addiction. The war on drugs is based on the dealers, not the users.

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DynamicHalfDuo

Ok, fair enough... perhaps I am a little harsh in my attack on the police.

At the same time, I find it easy to believe that people are being prevented from seeking the help they need to recover from addiction because they fear retribution from the law. Possession is still a felony. Again - this does not apply if your income measures in 6 or 7 digits. And that's another travesty.

RoB-B

actually, im not sticking up for cops
more my step dad who was a cop and a good guy

ive been fucked aournd by cops to many times to think highly of them

astralkid

Where there is a demand, there should be a supply.... If certain people are demanding certain products its their choice and the government should have no right to interfer with the private lifes of citizens as long as they do not use it negatively in a way that harms others, but then again anything can be used in a negative way that might harm others( u see the deal with guns yet there is no band on them)

Weaver

I figure they should atleast legalize weed, the people who want to do it are doing it, you may as well make some cash off it.

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chipakapockets

The police will end up allowing it long before the government does. Look at what happened in Holland. The laws are still in place, the police simply refuse to enforce them. Already, in Kingston, I've begun to see things like that.

I've been walking down the street smoking a joint, and walked right by an officer. He didn't even turn his head to look, or care. There have been protests outside of the Kingston Police headquarters where large masses of people were smoking pot openly infront of the building. The police, in the end, did nothing about it. The first protest had a man arrested, but released later and never charged. I think the main reason they arrested him is to calm down the protest and get the potheads away from the cop shop.

It's only a matter of time before police simply refuse to enforce certain laws.

astralkid

I hate cops, they just do what they're told...

perry461

Not true....I've told them to die and go to hell 1000 times....it never happens.

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Psychick

I'd be wary of throwing Roe v. Wade into the Drug War mix as a possible defense. From what I've read, abortion rights are becoming unstable in many states, and I'd be scared of giving the republicans more fuel for their anti-abortion fire.

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pointy_sticks

The problem here is that America is inherently less patient when it comes to seeing results. (I cannot speak specifically for Canada in this case) Example: the brief period in the 70's where the legal drinking age was reduced from 21 to 18. The immediate result was a rise in drunk-driving incidents among teenagers, and the response was to repeal the decision. Precedent indicates that, had the law remained in effect, the number of incidents would have eventually dropped below the original levels. But, naturally, America couldn't be bothered waiting that long.

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Troile

America has got to have the highest if not one of the highest drug abuse rates...and its solely because as previously stated its cool.

Heck look at the pot culture...its more about the advertising and toys than the pot!

Of course the war on drugs just makes things worse...its just used as a buzz word. The point isn't to eliminate drug use...its to have something else to fear. America runs on fear...people are kept in line by fear...drugs are a scapegoat. When things heat up the war on drugs takes citizens minds off of the real issues.

On another note...MDMA is actually quite a fine drug...and 1000 times safer than the pills that are sold at parties...but alas b/c of the war on drugs its hard to find the stuff in a pure form...and in specific quantities. I mean for an average person it'll take them about 150mg to peak...pills tend to be 100mg or so...that means 2 pills get you high when you really need 1 1/2...

And all b/c of the war on drugs...but that is the whole point of the war...to keep things in the dark...to put horrid spins on things.

I mean remember...shit what was the name of that movie? The one about the horrors of pot, it ended up becoming a cult classic. But anywho...

One thing to keep in mind...you are not in possession of something that is in your stomach. Being on a drug is not possession of that drug even though it can be proved that you did at one point have possession.

And the police can arrest you for no reason at all...you just won't have any charges stick when you finally get it to court.

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Psychick

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Busta

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Glyce

Erm. Well, there's only one problem. The government likes to make the excuse of "you are endangering other people, we don't care about you." They'll give you scenario after scenario about things going wrong. And as in the case of abortion, no one has come up with a fool proof theory saying that an unborn child is really a child (while you can still get an abortion) so you're only hurting yourself. Not someone else. Legally. I know it's stupid, but that's how the system works, and everyone in that system is against the legalization of any illegal drug right now for any reason. So there isn't much we can do for now. I think for now, we should just try to get that freak out of office. But you know what's truly great, the legal drugs that have more really bad side effects than any illegal drug. As in the drug used to "fight AIDS" which is basically a poison which when taken destroys wantonly and without target. And a common side effect is death. So either you die of AIDS, or you die of the drugs they give you to "get rid of it".

astralkid

^^ I think that bastard Bush wants to leave office with a legacy, and I think making abortions illegal is something he wants to do very much so he can be remembered.