Vivian on 29/7/2012 at 21:59
Quote Posted by zachary1975
The reason drugs aren't legalized is because of something that has happened in mexico.
Uh... can you expand on that point a bit?
Jason Moyer on 30/7/2012 at 09:56
Quote Posted by zachary1975
Drugs make peoples minds go and therefore legalizing them would make society more dangerous than it already is.
I can't remember the last time someone who was stoned or tripping went on a crime spree. I can think of plenty of good things regular users of drugs have done, though.
the_grip on 30/7/2012 at 18:57
Quote Posted by Shadow
fully legalize most drugs
tax them
use taxes + funds from not fighting expensive drug war to fund rehab clinics
crime drops significantly on both sides of the border
we put a dent in our debt
people aren't being put in jail for stupid shit
a bunch of other awesome stuff
there I just solved all of your problems for you
I saw somewhere recently that something like 48% of the money spent on the drug war goes towards Mary Jane alone. The illegalization of marijuana is nonsensical.
I am of the persuasion that someone somewhere stands to make LOTS of money by keeping marijuana illegal, hence it remains that way. Is it the drug cartels themselves, do they have a lobby in the US somehow (or fund lobbies)? Pharmaceutical and alcohol companies don't want people growing their own feel goods or party substance in their backyards since MJ is uber easy to grow? Rehab clinics? No idea.
There is absolutely ZERO reason for marijuana to remain illegal, but here we are, illegal marijuana. Smells like money and corruption to me.
I personally disagree with this article. The average US drug user is not the Mexico drug problem. Money is, or whomever is making money by keeping many drugs illegal. Speculative, sure, but just as speculative as what the HP is stating.
Koki on 30/7/2012 at 19:24
Quote:
We condemn Mexico for exporting drugs while ignoring the inverse dynamic -- we are importing the drugs. We are the ones bringing in 20 tons of heroin, 110 tons of methamphetamine, 330 tons of cocaine and literally countless tons of marijuana annually.
So if a burglar breaks into my house and steals my stuff, it's
my fault for not having a better lock on the door/bars in windows?
Normally I have to go to message boards for this level of idiocy; progress!
heywood on 30/7/2012 at 23:36
Quote Posted by the_grip
I am of the persuasion that someone somewhere stands to make LOTS of money by keeping marijuana illegal, hence it remains that way. Is it the drug cartels themselves, do they have a lobby in the US somehow (or fund lobbies)? Pharmaceutical and alcohol companies don't want people growing their own feel goods or party substance in their backyards since MJ is uber easy to grow? Rehab clinics? No idea.
Law enforcement and the penal industry. Minor drug possession and traffic violations are the bread and butter of most police forces. They have quotas for this stuff and they need to make their numbers to justify their jobs. And building and running prisons has turned into big business.
Quote:
I personally disagree with this article. The average US drug user is not the Mexico drug problem. Money is, or whomever is making money by keeping many drugs illegal. Speculative, sure, but just as speculative as what the HP is stating.
The money comes from drug users.
the_grip on 31/7/2012 at 00:20
Quote Posted by heywood
The money comes from drug users.
And drugs come from cartels. Or, according to SWIM, friends who grow it in their backyard.
Not trying to be argumentative, but blaming all the little purchases of dime bags across the nation for rampant drug crime in Mexico is likely a bit short-sighted. If the powers that be really wanted the situation to change, then they would work at it. As it stands, there is too much money to be made in the status quo, and this isn't the fault of drug users.
Just my speculative two cents.
heywood on 31/7/2012 at 01:36
Uh, OK. Where do you think the money comes from?
heywood on 31/7/2012 at 02:59
So you think the drug testing, prison, and alcohol industries are secretly funding the Mexican drug cartels???
The source of Mexico's cartel problem is money from American drug users. The war on drugs doesn't create the demand. The fact that some industries derive their income from enforcement is largely inconsequential to Mexico's problem. If you legalize possession but not trafficking and production, it's still a black market controlled by the cartels.
