a lot of people on the internet like to talk about legalizing all drugs as if it is some cure all for america's problems...here is my response to them.
(first things first im not talking about marijuana, that is a whole other issue.)
In the case of hard drugs (cocain, crack, crystal meth, heroin etc.) people like to argue that if we legalized them all all of our problems would stop...i have NO F-ING CLUE how this thought can be thought of as logical in any way.
Ok...so you say that if they are legal the "war on drugs" stops. sure, fine and dandy, we arent paying cops to bust junkies, dealers and traffickers anymore. ok...
Say they tax these things, ok, but now we would have to create or expand an existing federal department to track, regulate, and all around control the sale of these drugs to be able to tax them...most likely running a negative cashflow in the process. you can debate that if you want, but that still isnt my point.
My biggest point is, and if you have ever known an addict you will understand, this stuff is NO GOOD. It DESTROYS people, families, children in ways you can't even imagine. I have had plenty of experience with these things in my family and beyond. And i dont think anyone shouting these slogans has ever seen what drugs can do to a person. I have watch people rob their families blind and take advantage of everyone they once loved just to get a fix. I have watch people turn to prostitution , neglect their children, even USE their children to get a fix. And do you really think it matters WHERE they were getting their drugs? Do you think that because you could pick up some heroin at CVS it would make a junkie any less likely to rob someone for the money to get it? hell no, and if you think that is the case then you obviously have no idea what addiction really is.
Your emotions, conscience, obligations mean absolutely nothing in comparison to your drive to get that next fix. You will do things you never thought you were capable of. Things that if you were sober, would make your skin crawl. THAT is what these drugs will do to a person.
So sure, we are bringing in money from taxing now illegal drugs. But now we have to pay for the care and subsequent rearing of a child born to a junkie mom who shot up in the delivery room (seen it) Now we have to pay for the rehab of millions of american's who are hooked on these drugs. We may not be paying police to arrest people for possession or dealing, but we are sure as hell paying them to arrest people for robbery, murder, and mugging people so they can afford that next fix. and better yet our government is now (officially) in the business of selling drugs that indisputably KILL their users.
Good plan...
I normally avoid these "hot button" issues here on gather, but this one is just going too far. I have seen what these drugs do to people. and i NEVER want to see it again. And legalizing is just ensuring that many more people will die for no good reason. I agree the war on drugs is costing us a lot, but this is not the way to solve the problem.
Rant = over
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Comments: 21
I haven't heard of it mentioned in this country - tho i have heard about it being done in other places.
it's been several years ago now.... so i couldn't tell you which country was doing it.... but they legalized herion to those who were addicted to it (as a prescription). part of the deal tho, was to get counseling and/or treatment for addiction. apparently, crime almost dropeed off the map. these people were able to live a semi-normal life... no longer out on the streets looking for the next fix.
like you mention tho - it's the money to pay for it. and in this economy... ha
here's something interesting tho. alcohol, also, is a very serious and addictive drug. during prohibition.... people were getting killed left and right in order to get there hands on some. the government had to legalize it in order to get control of the situation.
To legalize all drugs would also bring them under the light of government regulation, which means, not only taxing, but regulating the merchandise.
Although we have 5% of the world's population, we have 25% of the world's inmates--talk about a waste of money, time and human beings...are we to think that this is something to be proud of? I don't and yes, I've been around enough junkies/addicts/alcoholics to be able to say that objectively.
I see your point with pot, I don't know anyone who has ever gotten addicted to it, I think its because it wasn't commercialized like tobacco was, it was hard to stop smoking, I was up to 3 packs a day.
I got into a similar argument over this the other day. I totally agree with you.
If they made tobacco illegal I would finally quit smoking over 30 years because I wouldn't do anything illegal.
2. they raised the taxes so damn high i HAD to lol