Community | March 07, 2009 | 8 comments

The Economist tells us how to stop the drug wars

source: http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=13237193

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ninthstate

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=13237193

Prohibition has failed; legalisation is the least bad solution

"The failure of the drug war has led a few of its braver generals, especially from Europe and Latin America, to suggest shifting the focus from locking up people to public health and “harm reduction” (such as encouraging addicts to use clean needles). This approach would put more emphasis on public education and the treatment of addicts, and less on the harassment of peasants who grow coca and the punishment of consumers of “soft” drugs for personal use. That would be a step in the right direction. But it is unlikely to be adequately funded, and it does nothing to take organised crime out of the picture."
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8 comments // The Economist tells us how to stop the drug wars

  • sesml2001
    • 0
      sesml2001  

    • Since it is legal in several European countries, I think they could get statics from there and not in the real world. I'm all for taxing its use then at least I would get some return on all the tax dollars spent for police and jail.
      But in this bad economy i am reading so many news reports of users watching dealers and jumping the purchasers to steal their drugs which is better I guess than breaking into my house to steal what little I have to pay for their habit as happened several times in the last recession.

      Even prescription abusers are following people home from retail chain drug stores to steal especially being targeted are the elderly to get their medications.

    • 4 years ago
  • afishlikeme
  • madmoe
    • 0
      madmoe  

    • Greed kills all good things! It also seeks to blame things to justify itself! Dupont greedly blamed it for profit. Nixon greedly blamed it for lack of war support. And so on and so on for ever and ever amen LOL

    • 4 years ago
  • davzap
    • 0
      davzap  

    • No medical research was used to prohibit pot. It was banned for Dupont to sell nylon. Hearst newspapers published "Reefer Madness" type stories that scared the public into prohibition. They didn't count on pot going mainstream, or doctors to speak out in favor of marijuana's benefits. LMN (Legalize Marijuana Now)
      Thank Dupont and Hearst for effing up millions of people for their blessed profit.

    • 4 years ago
  • H0M3GR0WN
    • 0
      H0M3GR0WN  

    • Just replace all the Pot-heads from jail with coke/meth prescription pill abusers and crime would be drastically cut in half!

    • 4 years ago
  • madmoe
  • lucidstone
    • 0
      lucidstone  

    • Great article by Economist.com. I get the feeling there are some pharmaceutical companies out there itching for the legalization of various drugs.

      BTW, this isn't just marijuana they are talking about in the article. They suggest legalizing even cocaine and heroine.

    • 4 years ago
  • kilgo

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