The "War on Drugs" a failure?

[Jason]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/06/201162133345452496.html

Think about it. Do the math.

[stack-o-tracks]

I could have told them it was a failure without having to do any surveys. 

Use the money spent arresting and locking up addicts on drug education. I think the biggest flaw is that we're taught "don't do drugs," not why we shouldn't. They need to bring addicts into schools and let the children see firsthand what drug use can do to you.

I spent probably 2/3s of my time in school thinking that pot was as bad as heroin and crack because that's what I was taught. Did a little "experimenting" in the 10th grade with that little green plant and realized "holy sh*t, I've been misled and lied to my entire life!" Still haven't moved onto the harder stuff yet. But according to what I've been taught, I should have a pretty sweet opiate addiction coming my way.

[rab2591]

I could have told them it was a failure without having to do any surveys. 

Use the money spent arresting and locking up addicts on drug education. I think the biggest flaw is that we're taught "don't do drugs," not why we shouldn't. They need to bring addicts into schools and let the children see firsthand what drug use can do to you.

I spent probably 2/3s of my time in school thinking that pot was as bad as heroin and crack because that's what I was taught. Did a little "experimenting" in the 10th grade with that little green plant and realized "holy merda, I've been misled and lied to my entire life!" Still haven't moved onto the harder stuff yet. But according to what I've been taught, I should have a pretty sweet opiate addiction coming my way.

I have never gotten how marijuana is a gateway drug. From my experience alcohol is a far greater gateway drug than marijuana....far far greater.

[grillo]

prohibition of any kind is always, everywhere a failure, in every way, for everyone involved (not including those things covered in the non-aggression principal).

[the captain]

I can't imagine this thread leading to much other than general agreement: the war on drugs was obviously a failure, and I think obviously (though I suppose a person could argue this) ridiculous. Regarding the gateway drug concept: I think it's true, kind-of ... but not limited to marijuana. Sure, a person who smokes weed might move on to harder drugs. But as rab2591 rightly says, the exact same idea applies to alcohol. Or nicotine. Or anything else. Anything can lead to a person thinking it is worth trying the next thing down the line. People push limits, be they laws, societal norms, or just their own comfort zones. That's just life. No war on drugs could ever stop that. (And the absurd cost and misplaced energy that went into it...sheesh.)

[Peter Reum]

For about 5 to 8% of the population, genetic predisposition plus environmental exposure leads to chemical dependence. From treating well over 1000 chemically dependent people...I think that exposure to ANY mood altering chemical at from 12 to 15 places those who are predisposed to potential dependence.

I think there is no question that we have used prison to create greater and more creative criminals who are chemically dependent. That said...one pass through treatment is not always the answer...often because chemical dependence is a condition caused by alteration of the brain`s neurochemistry. People with chemical dependence may go through treatment more than once before they finally stop. It is complicated, and we have wasted a whole generation and part of another one through incarcerTion insteAd of treating what is in essence a chronic imbalance in brain neurochemistry.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I can't imagine this thread leading to much other than general agreement: the war on drugs was obviously a failure

Well, I might suggest in fact that it was quite successful in containing a large portion of the population whose uncontained presence confront us with the failure of the economic system in general. In doing so, it frightens the rest of the population sufficiently so that they fall into line without making waves. In that sense, the policy achieved its desired effects.

[stack-o-tracks]

I can't imagine this thread leading to much other than general agreement: the war on drugs was obviously a failure

Well, I might suggest in fact that it was quite successful in containing a large portion of the population whose uncontained presence confront us with the failure of the economic system in general. In doing so, it frightens the rest of the population sufficiently so that they fall into line without making waves. In that sense, the policy achieved its desired effects.

 

[Alex]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCDnR6Px-co&feature=related

[the captain]

I can't imagine this thread leading to much other than general agreement: the war on drugs was obviously a failure

Well, I might suggest in fact that it was quite successful in containing a large portion of the population whose uncontained presence confront us with the failure of the economic system in general. In doing so, it frightens the rest of the population sufficiently so that they fall into line without making waves. In that sense, the policy achieved its desired effects.

Let me rephrase: if the war on drugs is to be taken at face value, it's obviously a failure.