As with most ill conceived public policies and laws most people who disagree are simply too scared to speak up. During the McAurther trials detractors were labeled communists, anyone who disagrees with the sex laws is labeled a pervert, those who disagree with the drug laws are labeled junkies.. and so on... those in positions to actually affect change on those policies can't risked being labeled if they want to stay in power.. and as a result bad laws are rarely challenged or stopped, on the contrary, they are often expanded and built up ahead of elections to bolster candidate's platforms.
Life, we're just never going to agree on this. I see your comments as just giving up. The war on drugs has become too hard so just give up and legalize it. There are tons of kids that smoke cigarettes and we'll never stop them from doing it. Should we just make it legal for kids to smoke cigarettes?
Now cigarettes are something that should be illegal.. all they do is kill... I'd imagine in a drug legal US they would be regulated more or less just like alcohol. Sold at licensed places, to adults.. the punishments and fines for selling to kids would be similar to those for selling to minors today. We could also put big warning labels on everything so in case anyone doesn't realize how dangerous drugs can be it will be written clearly on the package along side self-help information and hotlines.
But your argument is that enforcement is not working so why not make it legal. So why not make it legal for children to smoke cigarettes. Or hell..drink alcohol. They allow it in some European countries... Why enforce it if we're not going to be able to stop everyone?
Sigh... the thing that's not working is what we have today. Kids already smoke , drink, and use drugs.. that won't change.. Kids caught with smokes and drinks are punished appropriately for what the crime is.. being underage... as it would be once drugs are legal. Age restrictions are a separate area of legality, just as driving, gun ownership, working, and joining the military are. I think what you're trying to suggest is that those who favor legalizing drugs would want a lawless society.. that's not the case, smarter laws that reflect the real world and aren't destructive is what we're after.
rdubnpk Because millions of dollars are spent every year in the court system and prisons and the drug traffic is not even slowed. What are you accomplishing? Making yourself feel better because you have labelled them illegal and by gosh that is the way it's going to stay whether I accomplish anything or not. That's assanine.
No, what I'm suggesting it just "we'll never win the war on drugs" is not a good reason to give up. Cigarettes would never become legal in today's society but there's a huge industry wrapped around it and they just can't make it illegal now without affecting the economy. What would we say about drugs 50 years later if we legalized it. I'm not actually anti-pot. I just don't like the idea of giving up for the sake of giving up.
