Prohibition didn't work. Why does anyone think the War on Drugs will work?
603280
This is perhaps the most profound question that I have read since being involved with ANSWERS! \n\nThe war on drugs has been a complete failure for the last 50 plus years and will continue to be, because people insist on using this stuff.\n\nI am not my brothers keeper when it comes to him wanting to destroy his life.  If he wants to live, he will finally make his way to rehab, but not before he decides that he's had enough!\n\nThe people who want to use this stuff, are already using it, and will use it no matter how many laws they have to break, in order to get it. \n\nThis is a product that should be treated the same way alcohol is treated, in our society.  If you are 21 or older, you have the right to indulge.  If you are driving, you don't have the right to indulge.  Neither do you have the right to indulge if you are going to work, or are in a physically uncontrollable state.  You cannot offer this substance to anyone under 21 years of age.  You cannot carry a weapon while under the influence. etc. etc.\n\nIt is my belief that those people who do not indulge in drugs, will not, even if it becomes legal.  That the number of users will not dramatically rise as a result of drugs becoming legal. \n\nWhat will occur from the legalization of drugs is a hugh deflation in the cost of trying to control illegal drugs. A hugh reduction in the number of deaths due to turf wars and tainted product out on the streets.\n\nI visualize a tax and revenue producing industry,due to the legal sale of drugs from certified pharmacies.\n\nDrugs and alcohol have been a scurge of our society as well as most societies around the globe, and will continue to be whether drugs are legal or illegal.\n\nWe have tried it the conservative way for generations, and it hasn't worked!  Perhaps it is time to try another method.  Hell, we could always reverse this decision if we see that we are wrong.  But if we're not wrong, think of all the money that will be saved, all the lives not lost, and perhaps even, the reduction in users because the challenge is gone.
34706
I think that it's absolutely pointless that it's illegal.  Prohibition didn't stop people from drinking alcohol, it only made it more dangerous for all of the people who were already drinkers.  The only reason I see for continuing to keep marijuana illegal is to supply more people with jobs in law enforcement and in the penal system.
672571
Think about this:\n\nLegalizing drugs - cuts down on criminals.  no need for drug dealers, smugglers; people who purchase drugs can pay taxes on them, country gets payment for people's drug habits.
1148721
to tax on it of course. The government should just make drugs legal (not all but some). Cuz we all know that when something is made illegal it's wanted more!!! If the government makes it legal that would put drug dealers out of business and they can tax on it. Also if it is available maybe it wont be wanted as much!!
121804
Well first of all these idiots that think making drugs legal are the people using them and would like nothing more then to be able to walk around and smoke weed, while children look up at them and think this is ok.Truth is that the government would have to step up to the plate close the mexican borders and make harsher punishment on the dirtbags that sell, create or do drugs. Make them so scared to do it agian that they wont. But if you look at all the avenues of drugs from hospitals that treat the people on drugs and the police that arrest the scum out there. There is billons made on drugs and the after effects of them. If the government would stop running the country like a buisness we could get a leg up on the war agianst drugs.
785002
Money!  And it would not work! Cigs have to be almost the most addictive thing I ever did! I stopped, but it was pure hell.\n\nProhibition didn't work, the govt makes a lot of money alcohol and drugs, including laundering money from cocaine!\n\nPot gets into the country, as does coke and designer drugs!\n\nPeople would still get cigarettes and the govt would be cut out and a lot of rich people would lose money!\nAlcohol is legal and it has probably destroyed more lives than any drug! It just takes a little longer!\n\nThe govt talks out of both sides of their mouths and it is all about money! The states made billions in settlements on alcohol and cigarettes for what they were doing to US!  Try and get the government to pay for patches and smoker cessation programs, or rehab for alcohol or drugs! Not a penny!! Your insurance pays or you don't get it, or you pay, one way or another!!
203771
It is no difference than like the war on drugs, big money. The government can and trying to stop the flow of drugs in this country but do they want it to stop, no. If did they would lose 3/4 of their police force. Within the borders of this great nation they wouldn't be able to seize land and vehicles, hire more personnel, court systems have to layoff 1/2 of their judges, layoff prison guards, quit building more prisons and lawyers will become homeless. It is always about money. Back to the question, for the last 10 years the courts have managed to get lawsuits pass on major cigarette companies for persons dying from cancer. They can no longer sponsor a race car or advertise on TV. But does this really hurt the tobacco industry, no. The government doesn't want to outlaw tobacco, they will no longer collect taxes for them. "Money". I did read somewhere last year of a national report that the young American people now days are less likely to start smoking than like 20 years ago. So if there become less smokers in this country don't worry, taxes always get higher and the sale overseas is still increasing every year.
726002
Ignoring the Constitutional complications that would arise from such a law, it would not be effective in keeping weapons out of the hands of the "bad guys."  It would, however, make it more difficult for "good guys" who are conscientious about obeying the law to defend themselves.\n\nYou point out that there are already laws against possession of drugs, and yet our prisons are filled with drug offenders.  This demonstrates that laws are not 100% effective at controlling behavior.  Even if all weapons were illegal, those who want them would find ways to get them.  Unfortunately, a large percentage of "those who want them" will be the bad guys out to do harm.\n\nThere will always be people who have weapons.  If you feel threatened by them, you might want to study how to defend yourself against them.  Warning:  this might mean you will have to take up a weapon yourself.  But at least you won't have to be scared anymore.\n\nIt is also important to teach children what to do in the presence of weapons.  It is far easier to teach your children not to touch weapons than it is to prevent them from ever coming in contact with one.
1176903
I have always thought legalized drugs with heavy taxation would be a good thing. The wacko conservatives will never agree too it. Just like handing out condoms, they think it makes people become evil. They just don't get the point. Also, the drug cartels would fight it too.
801887
That is exactly what it is; they use scare tactics.  I do not belive in hard drugs such as coke/crack or any other.  But I do belive in freedoom.  If somone whats to kill themselves over such a drug as coke I propbably don't want to talk to that person or want that person using up the valuable resources on this planet a anyway because that drug makes you stupid.  But if they do the drug and don't affect me in anyway, then it really doesn't matter does it.  As the offspring would say It is not a war on drugs it is a war on personal freedom.  Besides if they legalized everything do you have any idea how much money the government could make, look at holland.  They have free health care to all,  If you want to go to school to be a brain surgeon for ten years they will pay for the whole thing, Lastly they are one of the greenest countries in the world relying soley on wind,solar,and water energy which is not cheap but saves the tax payers trillions.  There is a correct way and a wrong way to regulate drugs.  Holland makes money off of it and all the people benifit.  While america throws everyone in jail all the way down to the peace loving hippies and it costs all the tax payers so much more.  We would not have an eight trillion dollar national defict if our government officals would just think.  Do you know George washington our first president grew hundreds of acres of weed for use of the hemp for rope on sailing ships and many other uses; our government would have locked up the founding father of this country and threw away the key.  I can keep going too.
36186
It is put into the system. That is why the War on Drugs is such a big deal and will not end - it is a large money-maker for the government.
1049563
I do. The war on drugs is unwinnable. People do not belong in jail if their only crime is smoking a joint. Doesn't this country have MUCH bigger issues to worry about than this?
278622
By making drugs illegal, the government makes them more expensive and more difficult to obtain. The newspaper Chicago Sun Times had done a series of articles years ago that suggested that Prohibition was not as ineffective as is normally accepted. In fact, by making alcohol illegal the government was not able to stop the consumption or alcohol completely, but was definitely able to dramatically lower the per capita consumption of alcohol. This was a direct result of alcohol being more expensive and more difficult to obtain.\n\nOne need only look at the practices of modern sales and advertising for legal but unhealthy items to see what the legalization of drugs would do to harm the US. Advertising and marketing of items like alcohol, fast food, over the counter stimulants, pornography, along with their ease of acquiring, leads to the overconsumption of these items. This overconsumption leads to horrendous national problems such as a generally unhealthy lifestyle, shortened life spans, loss of productivity, increases in health care costs, and indirectly to the further erosion of the family, increases in the rate of bankruptcy, etc.\n\nAs the magazine THE ULTIMATE UNKNOWN has stated, the legalization of recreational drugs would lead to their legitimization, and that would lead to their general acceptance and overindulgence by everyone.
273431
Before I start, let me mention that I have not smoked marijuana in many years, but have certainly had my share of alcohol.\n\nMarijuana prohibition is idiotic, born out of ideas, fear, and propaganda from a time long ago.  It is safer than alcohol by far, and is only frowned upon because of the legality and social stigma placed upon it.  No one has ever died from marijuana poisoning, or pot withdrawal, yet both of these things happen with alcohol on a daily basis throughout the country and the world.  Riots are not started by folks who are stoned, but violence and drunkenness go hand and hand.\n\nIf the drug were made legal, it could be taxed and regulated just like tobacco or booze.  Legalization would free up space and court resources for real criminals, saving the taxpayers money and getting more dangerous folks off the street.  It's a crime that this drug is treated like a dangerous, physically addictive drug, and it shouldn't be a crime to do it.
216319
The war on drugs has been such a huge failure. Think about this: what if all the money and resources spent between 1992-2001 spent fighting a war we can't win had been spent infiltrating and neutralyzing Islamic extremists ? 9/11 would have never happened. Instead, to this day, we fight an herb put on this earth by God which has never killed anyone. A war which we can never win.
1105927
it wont be because the USA is politically against it ,there have been many studies with positive outcomes and all have been ignored by a sucession of Presidents.\n\nbefore 1920 marijuana was extensively grown by the USA and Mexico for the production of fibre.which made a durable material,cheap and it does not scorch,that was used for all the  jeans,ropes,sails for the sailing ships and millions of jute bags that were used by millions of farmers,representing a multimillion dollars business.\n\nafter 1920 with the coming of synthetic materials,which were products of the petrolium business ,which were owned by the families or associates of most of the presidents,\n\nthis competitive comodity could not be allowed to continue to exist,\nand the war on Mariujana was on.\n\nthe drug factor although it has been proven beyond doubt  by countless tests that it was a relative harmless substance compared to sigarettes,alcohol and others,was blatently ignored and relentlessly the war continued to this day.\nalthough it does worry the church, since people tended to stay up all night and question religious and philosohical beliefs.some times coming to uncomplementary conclusions of what was socially accepted.\n\nalcohol puts people to sleep and they dont question the given standards.\n\ntoday Mariujana fibre is making a come back in Europe and Africa and produce designer pantalons and shirts for very high prices because the quality is superior than linnen.\n\nthese fibre plants do not produce drugs to speak of and are worthless for the drug market .it is the fibre that is the value.\n\nand organically speaking it is an exelent plant to recuporate tired soils ,after cattle and corn field have practically destroyed the land,because the plant is deep rooted grows on most altitudes,and breaks open or loosens compacted soils as well as secreting nitrogen..
236411
I think pot usage was wider spread back then before the government dug in with all the anti-drug campaigning and subsidies to law enforcement.  The taboo of it has been softened too.  Coke was off the hook back then, really just getting started...but I don't think it's any worse than today, considering how strong the growing darker forces of the Columbian Drug Cartel have become.  So, all-in-all, the same...basing that on information from the media and the occasional creepy book or two covering the subject from Barnes & Noble....