Community | July 18, 2011 | 24 comments

Legalize It - The Libertarian Case For Ending The Drug War

source: http://mises.org/daily/5425/Legalize-It

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Schnookums
I don't use marijuana, medical or otherwise. I don't plan to take it up. Still, like an increasing number of Americans, I am vehemently opposed to the war on drugs.

Several powerful arguments can be proffered in support of the notion that drug use is a poor life decision. It has a negative impact on health, like eating too much sugar or using tobacco. It can be well argued that it is a wasteful way to spend one's time, like playing disc golf. And it is mind numbing, just like watching Hannity or Hardball.

All of these choices are harmful to their practitioners. But should any of these decisions, however foolish, be illegal? Any harm they inflict is only upon their practitioners; not abstainers. No matter how much cherry-picked clinical data is used to argue otherwise, no one is harmed by another person's ignorance, poor health, or choice of hobbies.

I write from the perspective of someone who has shifted from conservatism to libertarianism; as such, I am at least passingly familiar with the conservative arguments against legalization, which reveal an inherent contradiction. Many who argue powerfully in favor of a constitutionally limited government recoil in horror at the notion that the state might be limited in its war powers — especially as they relate to the war on drugs. They brand Ron Paul as an outlandish, extremist character for daring to suggest that the government should mind its own business every now and then. And many conservatives who generally argue for the limitation of the power and scope of government could not more heartily endorse the drug war — lending tacit approval to the virtually limitless power it grants law enforcement.

It is not legalization but prohibition that should be considered outlandish and offensive......

Continue Reading at:
http://mises.org/daily/5425/Legalize-It
  1. groups:
    Community,   Politics,   Big Brother
  2. tags:
    War on Drugs,  Stupidity
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24 comments // Legalize It - The Libertarian Case For Ending The Drug War

  • tomoni
    • +2
      tomoni  

    • As long as big Pharma lines the pockets of congress the drug war will continue. Pharmacutical companies would sh*t their pants if pot became legal. You think tylenol, advil, ambien or proxac wanna go up against marijuana?

    • 10 months ago
  • lattina1
  • bishopbob
    • +3
      bishopbob  

    • Europe "quaked" when Portugal legalized/decriminalized ALL DRUGS. Europe was certain it would lead to mass addiction, crime, death, sickness, youth problems, etc. . .In reality? DRUG USE WENT DOWN. The only thing they (the gov't of Portugal) did not do was to become the point of distribution, since they already handle treatment why not handle distribution and make money from it to cover the treatment? . For example: pure heroin is well tolerated by the human body, you can be addicted to it for your entire life and function IF it is used medically, just as all the 100,000's of prescribed opiate users currently are. Take away the "dark side" of drugs and they become less appealing. Facts are facts.

    • 10 months ago
  • artemis6
  • Richard_Wyatt
  • letsliveinpeace
  • letsliveinpeace
    • +3
      letsliveinpeace  

    • Agree, I don't use marijuana, medical or otherwise. I don't plan to take it up. End the war on pot. Legalizing it will remove thousands of prisoners off the budgets of the states. It will also generate millions in revenue for the country. It will also tear a tremendous hole in the drug gang's profits. This will save lives on both sides of the border.

    • 10 months ago
  • nobsartist
    • +5
      nobsartist  

    • I find it funny that most cops are able to point out where you can buy drugs.
      I also find the laws regarding pot to be racist, created by racists and enforced by racists.

    • 10 months ago
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
    • +4
      COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM  

    • You have hit the nail on the head, it's the contradiction and outright duplicitous hypocrisy of the corporate and militant right which has muddied the waters of reality while they suck the lifeblood from our nation through vices such as the War On Drugs and the Oil Wars on the Middle East, and so much more. As a progressive, just saying!

    • 10 months ago
  • Valence
    • +6
      Valence  

    • Here's a case, How about we sue the government for negligence, for knowingly suppressing something that can be a game changer in the Medical field and for treason because everyday many people, the people who are supposed to be served by the Government are imprisoned because they were caught for as little as a grammie bag.

    • 10 months ago
  • warman1138
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
  • noxidereus
    • +3
      noxidereus  

    • Cannabis is anything but mind numbing.

      If you toke up before getting house work done, then you're not really wasting time either, and nobody should think that leisure time is a waste of time anyway. This article unnecessarily attempts to extend an olive branch to those who favor prohibition -- why? Because they think it will give them more credibility? The case to end the war on drugs stands on its own merits.

      I agree that it "is not legalization but prohibition that should be considered outlandish and offensive".

    • 10 months ago
  • floydyboy
  • Andover
    • +3
      Andover  

    • Oh the great old drug dispute....

      When did my body become a war zone?

      A perfect question for a perfect Billboard..
      Now who want's to raise a little money?

    • 10 months ago
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
  • artemis6
    • +5
      artemis6  

    • It is rational to legaiize it (socially , morally and economically) , NOT just Libertarian . I actually rather resent the libertarians for USING this topic for political gain . The American public overwhelmingly wants it LEGAL . Libertarians have no other credibility than this (and their stance on reproductive rights) , in my opinion .

    • 10 months ago
  • Schnookums
  • noxidereus
  • Vic_Romano
  • artemis6
    • +3
      artemis6  
    • Vic_Romano:

      If it gets associated with libertarians too much , it will be marginalized along with them , when the time comes , and it will come . Divide and conquer . This is a we the people issue .

    • 10 months ago
  • Vic_Romano
    • +4
      Vic_Romano  
    • artemis6:

      The difference is that libertarians don't give a shit if oregano was being passed off as weed so long as it's a transaction between consenting parties. I think the most of us want a few market rules to insure both safety and fairness.

    • 10 months ago
  • artemis6
  • Schnookums
    • +3
      Schnookums  

    • Sadly even when a plurality agree that continuing the War on Drugs is detrimental to our country, there's just too much money in it for politicians to listen to their Constituents.

      (I suppose this applies to all wars though)

    • 10 months ago
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