Does the "WAR ON DRUGS" actually create more crime and cause more general problems in society than it fixes?

Question

http://www.drugwarfaq.com/

This site is very informative. Can you "debunk" it?

If you don't care to read it because you don't use drugs or just don't care, you are inadvertently enabling the drug war to continue to cause more problems in society, such as causing more gun control, creating more gangs ad organized crime, illnesses and disease, and prison overpopulation. Not to mention that it effects our civil rights.

GABY, I don't know what part of your extremely ignorant aswer to address first.

did you READ the material on that website? It isn't about feeling sorry for the junkies (although a little bit...just a little bit of compassion for chemically dependent people [like rush limbaugh] might do you some good), it is about the load of problems that the drug war causes to our society. Go educate yourself, please, or we are doomed to see more crime, more homicides, more spread of disease, more corrupt police, more violations of our liberties, more strain on our already strained economy, more insanity in our society. Drug use has gone UP, NOT DOWN, since the war on drugs started. Drugs are JUST AS EASY TO GET, and yet, we are pouring billions of dollars every year into something that DOESN'T WORK!

Answer 1

PROHIBITION DOESN'T WORK!!!

It didn't work on alcohol and it doesn't work with drugs.

Answer 2

I agree with azred. Putting a hard working citizen away for 6 months or more if it the second or third time you get caught is a drain on the tax payers. Not to mention that person will most likely lose everything. It's a wll known and proven fact that alcohol causes just as big if not bigger problem than drugs and you can get it everywhere, even if you are underage. Hell, the Budweisers and Millers out there throw their product in your face everyday. I would rather hit a J and wake up feeling good instead of pounding a few beers and feeling like garbage. Does anybody understand Freakville or zilla or whatever they call themselves. That answer makes no sense.

Answer 3

It absolutely causes more crime simply by definition. If drugs were decriminalized, the amount of crime would have to go down because the crime itself has been eliminated. By focusing so much manpower and resources on finding petty drug offenders (while propping up Big Tobacco and the alcohol industry) we negate the effectiveness of our police forces and judicial system. What problems are solved by incarcerating hundreds of thousands of americans who like to smoke a joint? I personally would feel much more comfortable if the funds used to support the war on drugs would be used to secure our borders and maybe even provide poor chldren access to decent healthcare. Maybe we could even use some of that money to pay teachers a decent wage so the quality of education in this country can improve.

Answer 4

I trust you. The conflict on drugs has been a farce. i think of that's silly to have faith which you will legislate morality. as long as human beings have the liberty to make very own possibilities, there'll constantly be a industry for illicit drugs. i do no longer use drugs, yet i think that the mindset in direction of drug use in this usa is slightly skewed. in this usa too many regulations are in step with morals particularly than certainty. If drugs have been criminal, I nonetheless would not use them. yet does that supply me the main recommendations-blowing to tell others the thank you to stay? of direction no longer. a great sort of human beings use drugs to flee the dire circumstances of their lives. If we use the money that we spend incarcerating drug clientele, and positioned it into training, wellbeing care and different social courses, in step with risk fewer unhappy human beings might turn to drugs.

Answer 5

Yes.

Drug dealers are crowding our prisons (at least in CA). Violent criminals have their sentences cut short to make more room for non-violent drug offenders. I don't do drugs and I never have, but I'd rather have a drug dealer roaming the streets than a habitual drunk driver or a wife beater.

Law enforcement can't be everywhere. It is tragic that they devote so many resources and so much time to busting drug dealers and users instead of criminals who pose a violent threat to innocent citizens.

Answer 6

There aren't enough fingers and toes in America to count the ways the PHONY "war on drugs" harms us. We could just start with the FACT that it has been proven that CIA supplied and subsequently helped to expand (into every major US city) the LA street gangs during the 1980's "crack epidemic" to funnel more CASH into the Iran/Contra (Reagan's War) affair in Central America.

The Mafia and FBI formed a "partnership" during alcohol prohibition in the "war on alcohol" in the early part of the 20th century.

Witness that there has been one "record" opium crop after another since CIA/America moved into Afghanistan in 2001. The more involved the government gets in "the war on drugs" the more drugs flow into America because it is a ready supply of CASH for illegal activities all over the world totally outside of government oversight.

I'm not talking out of my butt here kids...many many ex-CIA "operatives" have told this story over the years. In the 1980's CIA would deliver guns to Honduras or Guatemala (for the "contras") in small planes...load the plane with cocaine and fly right back to Texas, Florida or So. Cal.

In 1981 when I lived in LA 1000's of pounds of Afghani HASH (complete with a "freedom fighters" Logo stamped in it) magically appeared on the streets at the exact same time CIA was moving "assets" (Osama Bin Laden) into Afghanistan. Not coincidentally during that time you could find crated (gelled guns with 500 rounds) US military issue AR-15's EVERYWHERE...going price was $500.

Answer 7

In short, yes. It does cause more problems than it fixes.

Somewhat similar to prostitution, people look at the sadness often associated with drugs (crime, overdose) and prostitution (violence, disease) and think that these are caused by crime and prostitution. On the contrary, these problems are actually caused by the laws that criminalize them.

Legal drugs are safe and people generally don't kill each other over buying/selling them. Why is this? Is it because pot makes people into crazed lunatics a'la Reefer Madness? Of course not. We all know that this is absurd. The violence happens because those who are in the business of selling pot and other drugs are unable to pursue legal protection from violence.

The same is true of prostitution. The government criminalizes women who offer a service in exchange for money, so these women are unable to seek protection from violent pimps and are discouraged from seeking preventive medical services.

Look through a list of laws. Too many contribute to a 'nanny state'; the presumption that some people are never responsible enough to make their own decisions regarding what they eat, drink, smoke or do with their bodies (without infringing on the rights of others).

Of all political stripes, you will find those who would mold the town, state or nation to suit their preferences. Does anybody remember the PMRC? Does anybody appreciate their help (with a little extra help from an unnamed Senator) in judging what is acceptable for your kids?

There are some, if only few, in politics who actually believe in liberty over party affiliation. Check voting records and support them. Maybe someday the echoes of 'Demon Rum' will fade from Washington.

Answer 8

IT DOES NOT WORK BECAUSE ALL IT IS,
IS A CASH GRAB FOR THE POLICE AND THE GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MORE OF THE HARD EARNED MONEY THAT THE HARD WORKING AMERICANS WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT/IT CAN WORK BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT THE WAR TO BE OVER ON DRUGS,PLEASE WORK LIKE THEY DO ON THE STREET TO COMPETE FOR AN AREA TO DO BUSINESS IN,THINK AND FIGHT THE WAR THE WAY THEY SELL THE DRUGS THERE ARE NO RULES ANY THING GOES TO GET THE JOB DONE THERE ARE NO CIVIL LIBERTIES JUST DICTATORSHIP,FIGHT THEIR WAR AND SEE WHO WINS ,

Answer 9

Of course it does. Only 10% of the population will do drugs and this number is the same regardless if they are illegal or not. Now its nothing more the another government program that just will not go away! And I hate it when they say drugs runined peoples lives when it wasn't the drugs but the fact they got sent to jail is what ruins their lives!!

Answer 10

I think the government should manufacture it and give it out cheap with tax. Not that cut down stuff like is on the streets, but 100% pure. Let them have all they want. They should have areas like rest stops everywhere for all the druggies to stay and have all they want. Free uncut drugs and free funerals too.

Just think of it. All the drug trafficing stops. Maybe even 50% of the druggies will kill themselves. Less lives of others will be ruined. When can stop feeling sorry for them and see they are really just losers and leeches on our society.

We allow people to kill themselves many other ways. Why not help them in this area?

Answer 11

Absolutely. By making something illegal, when people want that something they have to turn to criminals to get it. Also, putting someone in jail for 6 months (or however long) for carrying some marijuana or cocaine (substances which aren't normally used to harm someone else, only the user) creates a tax burden for the citizens.