Post-Drug War

[Plinker]

Please help me understand how a 'post-drug war' society would work, as I genuinely do not see how it can. I fear I may be ignorant of some ideas or theories.

If America legalized drugs of all kinds, who would then sell drugs? Anyone? Only stores? Would/should people be allowed to grow/refine/synthesize drugs? How will this help the crime rate?

I want to re-iterate, I am truly curious, and have no hidden agenda. A civil discussion would be great, haters need not post!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

If America legalized drugs of all kinds, who would then sell drugs?

Remember America before the moronic, racist drugs laws, pre-Harrison Act (1914)? It would be like that.

 

[Ramen]

Please help me understand how a 'post-drug war' society would work, as I genuinely do not see how it can. I fear I may be ignorant of some ideas or theories.

If America legalized drugs of all kinds, who would then sell drugs? Anyone? Only stores? Would/should people be allowed to grow/refine/synthesize drugs? How will this help the crime rate?

I want to re-iterate, I am truly curious, and have no hidden agenda. A civil discussion would be great, haters need not post!

I assume that if it was no longer a crime to sell or possess these drugs then the crime rate would go down significantly.

 

[vz. 61]

Thousands of police and street dealers would lose their jobs.

 

[Sgt7330]

Unfortunately being legal doesnt make it less addictive and it will still cost $$ to buy your dope. When you run out of cash for your drug, you will then committ crime to get it. (robbery, burglary, theft, prostitution, and so on....)
Then when they are all blown on the drug binge, due to it being now legal, they will still drive down the road that my wife, kids and your wife and kids are driving on.
Of course our gov't will then tax and regulate the drugs with more political jobs including a "Marijuana Czar" and "Cocaine Regulatory Commission".

 

[dross]

The prisons would have less than half the inmates they do now. Drug violence would mostly disappear. Prices would go way down.

On the down side, I think use would go up. Treatment paid for by the government would likely be implemented and expanded. And the scariest downside of all is what the police and all those government agencies would enforce with illegal drugs out of the picture.

 

[lashicoN]

Unfortunately being legal doesnt make it less addictive and it will still cost $$ to buy your dope. When you run out of cash for your drug, you will then committ crime to get it. (robbery, burglary, theft, prostitution, and so on....)
Then when they are all blown on the drug binge, due to it being now legal, they will still drive down the road that my wife, kids and your wife and kids are driving on.
Of course our gov't will then tax and regulate the drugs with more political jobs including a "Marijuana Czar" and "Cocaine Regulatory Commission".

Sure they could go on a killing rampage, murdering everyone in town, in search of just one more joint, deathly fixated on getting their next "fix" of pot, since they are addicted to it and can't stop smoking even for one second (that's how tight the grip of pot addiction is). They will murder their own grandmother and yours as well all just to get their now legal drug.

Or...they could go down to Wal Mart, buy a pack of Marijuana seeds for 50 cents and grow their own in their front/back yard, greenhouse, or grow room. Oh the humanity!

 

[Plinker]

Sure they could go on a killing rampage, murdering everyone in town, in search of just one more joint, deathly fixated on getting their next "fix" of pot, since they are addicted to it and can't stop smoking even for one second (that's how tight the grip of pot addiction is). They will murder their own grandmother and yours as well all just to get their now legal drug.

Or...they could go down to Wal Mart, buy a pack of Marijuana seeds for 50 cents and grow their own in their front/back yard, greenhouse, or grow room. Oh the humanity!

So are most pro-legalization folks interested in only legalizing marijuana? Because I was under the impression it was 'legalize everything'. If it's 'legalize everything', then I would have to agree with lashicoN. It would seem that large portion of crime does come from obtaining the means to purchase the 'hard stuff'.

 

[dross]

So are most pro-legalization folks interested in only legalizing marijuana? Because I was under the impression it was 'legalize everything'. If it's 'legalize everything', then I would have to agree with lashicoN. It would seem that large portion of crime does come from obtaining the means to purchase the 'hard stuff'.

Marijuana is a no-brainer. I'm for legalization of everything, because I don't think that what I ingest, or what I buy or sell to another consenting adult is any of the government's business.

 

[lashicoN]

So are most pro-legalization folks interested in only legalizing marijuana? Because I was under the impression it was 'legalize everything'. If it's 'legalize everything', then I would have to agree with lashicoN. It would seem that large portion of crime does come from obtaining the means to purchase the 'hard stuff'.

I believe we should legalize all recreational drugs. In my perfect world, I'd like to see our government end the war on drugs, and ease up on the taxes used to fight the war on drugs.

I would also like to see some rehab centers open up (preferably not funded by the government) to help people understand the dangerous effects of drugs and try to get them off of them, like AA.

I agree with Dross, one should be allowed to do what one wishes with one's own body. If you want to inject heroin, cool-aid, Vitamin C, poison, or Jack Daniels into your own veins, go ahead, just leave me and everyone else alone while and after you do it. It's your body, you are solely in charge of it, even if the government wrongly disagrees.

The funny thing about the war on drugs and INGO is many people around here support this government intrusion. Newsflash: this same government that professes to you that you can't inhale object X into your own body are the same pieces of **** that have tried to tell us that we don't have the right to protect that same body with firearms. You are responsible for defending your life, no one else will do it. With that responsibility comes the benefit of also being able to do what you wish with your life and body, including drinking alcohol, smoking weed, or snorting coke.

When in doubt, choose Liberty.

 

[CarmelHP]

Originally Posted by Plinker
If America legalized drugs of all kinds, who would then sell drugs? Anyone? Only stores? Would/should people be allowed to grow/refine/synthesize drugs? How will this help the crime rate?

We don't know, after liquor prohibition ended, it was thrown to the states. If federal drug laws were repealed, then the states' general police powers would come into play. As most states have concurrent laws, things may not change radically.

Originally Posted by dross
And the scariest downside of all is what the police and all those government agencies would enforce with illegal drugs out of the picture.

You mean like how after repeal the Prohibition Bureau morphed into the BATT (Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax) and finally into BATF/BATFE?

 

[dross]

You mean like how after repeal the Prohibition Bureau morphed into the BATT (Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax) and finally into BATF/BATFE?

I wasn't aware of that bit of history,I was just using my rather formidable powers of inductive reasoning. Stand back and no one will get hurt.

 

[slackerisme]

Interesting reading for those who care.

Understanding marijuana: a new look ... - Google Books