War Against Drugs is a Bad Idea
Links to other Ongoing Discussions

VersagiVoice began its discussion re legalizing drugs with the following comment in 2000.

Legalize Drugs
 Many of us who have never done drugs and who are old enough to have lived through the Prohibition era remember --

- raids on liquor stills;
- raids on speakeasies (alcohol-selling night clubs);
- otherwise decent people becoming bootleggers;
- liquor-makers and -sellers killing and bombing each other;
- innocent people caught up in the slaughter;
- cops corrupted and killed.

Today, it's the same situation in drug traffic.

When Prohibition was repealed, more people felt free to drink, and the percent of alcoholics probably rose a bit.

But nobody is being killed over a pint of wine. Cops aren't being killed or corrupted by bootleggers. Extreme cases to the contrary, society is safer today in terms of alcohol than it was under Prohibition.

The logic is clear: Legalize or at least decriminalize drugs.

One thing, though. All of us should be held totally responsible for our actions. "Diminished capacity" because we're drunk on booze or high on coke should never reduce our punishment for any crime we commit -- whether that crime is just disturbing the peace or assault or robbery or murder. We must be held responsible for getting into a state where "I didn't know what I was doing."

Just a thought.
Frank Versagi

Ongoing developments about Drugs

VA to allow medical marijuana
DENVER — The Department of Veterans Affairs will formally allow patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. A department directive, expected to take effect next week, resolves the conflict in veterans facilities between federal law, which outlaws marijuana, and the 14 states that allow medicinal use of the drug, effectively deferring to the states.

The policy will not permit department doctors to prescribe marijuana. But it will address the concern of many patients who use the drug that they could lose access to their prescription pain medication if caught.

Under department rules, veterans can be denied pain medications if they are found to be using illegal drugs. Until now, the department had no written exception for medical marijuana. This has led many patients to distrust their doctors, veterans say. With doctors and patients pressing the veterans department for formal guidance, agency officials began drafting a policy last fall.

“When states start legalizing marijuana we are put in a bit of a unique position because as a federal agency, we are beholden to federal law,” said Dr. Robert Jesse, the principal deputy under secretary for health in the veterans department. At the same time, Dr. Jesse said, “We didn’t want patients who were legally using marijuana to be administratively denied access to pain management programs.” -- New York Times: Jul 2010

§ Another argument for legalizing drugs? Mexico now joins Colombia and Afghanistan as a country whose very existence is threatened by organized drug cartels. Another reason to conclude that the pluses and minuses of legalization would be better in many ways than the pluses and minuses of the stupid, costly, deadly, ineffective "war on drugs."

An argument against legalizing drugs? Comparing drugs to alcohol makes no sense. Drinking alcohol has been part of western civilization forever. Wine is imbedded in the culture "going back to the Odyssey and the Torah." Marijuana, heroin, and cocaine "do not share this distinguished pedigree. . . . Most people who drink alcohol don't drink it to get drunk. In contrast, everyone who smokes marijuana or crack does so to get high."

Rebuttal? So what? An individual should have the right to get drunk or high. If he harms someone or destroys property while drunk or high, his "diminished capacity" should in no way diminish his responsibility.

Legalize Drugs: Argument Nbr. . . .
Mexico's drug-related violence has generated everything from blame to shame and the usual call for being yet more aggressive in the "war on drugs." Simultaneously, we are hearing more from the proponents of legalizing, or at least decriminalizing the sale and use of drugs. Joining the legalization cause is Jeffrey A. Miron, identified as "senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University." Extracts from his piece to CNN.com:

Escalation, more troops and police, is "the wrong response; drug prohibition is the cause of the violence." . . . " Violence was common in the alcohol industry when it was barred during Prohibition, but not before or after." . . . "Violence is the norm in illicit gambling markets but not in legal ones." . . . Violence is routine where prostitution is banned but not when it's permitted." . . . "Prohibition has disastrous implications for national security. By eradicating coca plants in Colombia or poppy fields in Afghanistan, prohibition breeds resentment of the United States. . . . "The right policy is to legalize drugs while using regulation and taxation to dampen irresponsible behavior . . . such as driving under the influence."

Legalize Drugs, some police officials agree
"Anyone concerned about the failure of our $69 billion-a-year War on Drugs should watch this 12-minute program," Walter Cronkite is quoted as saying, by Common Sense for Drug Policy. As has VersagiVoice, the anti-War on Drugs movement compares the agony and cost of that war to the unsuccessful Prohibition of alcohol. See Legalize Drugs

The 12-minute video quoting law enforcement officials is available at www.leap.cc. The website address for Common Sense is www.CSDP.org

Drug Czar? Please. Decriminalize drugs instead
I certainly will vote for Chuck Semchena for county commissioner, but I am disappointed to read that this Republican wants to add another layer of government in the guise of a drug czar. Heroin overdoses, fatal or not, make good scare tactics but that's no different from irresponsible or fatal behavior caused by alcoholic drunkenness. The solution isn't to invest even further in the stupid decades-long "war on drugs." The solution is to decriminalize, or even legitimize drugs -- then hold each individual responsible for her behavior -- by refusing to recognize self-induced "diminished capacity" as a mitigating factor for harmful activities. -- 20 Sep 06

2,000 cops work to end unsuccessful drug war
"This country is long overdue in recognizing that not only have we lost the war on drugs, but we have squandered billions of dollars and untold numbers of lives," states a spokesman for the 2,000 members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Considering the war "futile," the group seems to opt for regulation of distribution of illegal substances and "treatment instead of prison" for drug addicts. 09 Nov 05

Michigan no longer allows alcohol intoxication as an excuse
The last paragraph in the brief essay above stresses the need to make it impossible for anyone to plead diminished capacity as an extenuating circumstance after having committed a crime. In September 2002, the State of Michigan closed a legal loophole which had made it possible to use voluntary intoxication "as a defense in cases of murder, child abuse, armed robbery, larceny, breaking and entering, and assault," according to a report in the Oakland Press. Republican State Rep. Ruth Johnson, who sponsored the legislation, said the new law is a common sense measure based on "taking personal responsibility for one's actions." 

Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca added, "Defendants can no longer say, 'I had too much to drink ... I didn't mean it.'"

Canada moves to legalize marijuana
 Movement is underway in Canada to treat pot as alcohol is treated: regulate it, discourage its use, but decriminalize its use.

Michigan eases overly severe drug penalties
 Michigan has long had one of the most draconian laws in the country --  life sentences or 20-years in prison for simple possession of certain amounts, even without evidence that the user had committed any other drug crimes. As his term ended, Governor Engler signed legislation easing some of those penalties

'Should we Re-Legalize Drugs?' is the challenging opening question in a brochure on the website of the Libertarian Party. Recalling that "cocaine was even found in the original Coca Cola recipe," the site points out that at one time drugs like cocaine, heroin, opium, and marijuana "were inexpensive, crime was low." Repeating the point made in the last paragraph of the essay at the top of this page, the Libertarian documents suggests, "It's time to re-legalize drugs and let people take responsibility for themselves.

"Drug abuse is a tragedy and a sickness," the article continues. "Criminal laws only drive the problem underground and put money in the pockets of the criminal class.

Prohibition didn't work with alcohol. It obviously isn't working with drugs. I welcome Ferndale's attempt to legalize the medical use of marijuana as a first stop toward decriminalizing drug use -- so long as as "being under the influence" -- of anything -- is never accepted as an excuse for other illegal behavior. -- 20 Sep 05

During Royal Oak's budget debates "quality of life" has become a mantra, a copout. The implication is that any cut in city services will lead to the end of civilization as we know it. Nonsense. City government needs not to "do more with less," but to "do less."  I will elaborate, even pontificate! in the weeks to come, by becoming a pretend-candidate for city commissioner. -- FJV: 25 Sep 05

Colorado resort puts pot on ballot
Telluride, Colo, a city catering "to moneyed hippies," realizes it can't legalize marijuana, so it is asking voters to approve a ballot issue which will "officially declare possession of pot for personal use" to be the town's "lowest law enforcement priority." -- Detroit News: 02 Oct 05

French-based study group suggests licensing opium as a painkiller
Arguing that poor countries do not have adequate access to pain-reducing drugs a French-based study group operating in Afghanistan proposes to license opium production as a pharmaceutical painkiller. Such a use for the country's now illegal poppy production would benefit both those in pain and Afghanistan's economy, the Sensil Council contends. -- The Economist: 08 Oct 05

Another argument for decriminalizing drugs?
Newly elected president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has pledged to legalize the planting of coca in his country, while pledging to continue in the fight against drug-trafficking. Bolivians chew coca leaves for mild pleasure and the largely Indian population manifests no harmful addictive behavior.

Another argument for decriminalizing drugs? 

Retired Police Detective says, 'Legalize Pot."
[Letter published in 09 Jan 2009 Detroit News]
As a retired Bath Township police detective, I can tell you that a lot of street cops are happy not to be chasing citizens who need marijuana as a medicine. If the voters would like to make street cops even happier, legalize or regulate and tax marijuana. Then we could get back to the business of catching bad guys, not someone smoking in their own home. -- Howard J. Wooldridge, Laingsburg [Check him out at www.ask.com.]

VersagiVoice has long proposed legalizing drugs. Whatever your preference, you can see arguments for and against legalization by visiting several dedicated` websites:

www.CommonSenseDrugPolicy.org . . . www.DrugWarFacts.org . . . www.ManagingChronicPain.org . . . www.MedicalMJ.org . . . www.TreatingDrugAddiction.org.
http://www.rollitup.org

Legalize Prostitution too?

On this page

Bolivia legalizes planting coca.

French-based study group suggests licensing opium as a painkiller

Colorado resort puts pot on ballot

Prohibition didn't work with alcohol.

Should we Re-Legalize Drugs?'
cocaine in Coca Cola

Michigan eases overly severe drug penalties

Canada moves to legalize marijuana

Michigan no longer allows alcohol intoxication as an excuse

Legalize Prostitution?
 Worldwide there has been more experimentation with legalizing prostitution than with legalizing drugs. The results so far are interesting, even funny despite the serious moral dimension which pervades the issue. Examples:

  • In Great Britain prostitution is legal but eight of ten prostitutes are immigrants who are experiencing a worrisome rate of rape. The country is trying the approach of lodging criminal charges against any John who pays a prostitute who is later found to be "controlled for another person's gain." How this protects a foreigner who is unlikely to know where to seek help if being forced into the sex trade against her will isn't clear, so opponents of this approach contend the nation should either re-criminalize prostitution or do a better job of regulating and policing the trade.

  • In Hong Kong where it is illegal for anyone but the prostitute to profit from her services, the problem is that the law seems to prohibit her from hiring protection for herself. Nor can she share her quarters with other women. This is a matter of concern because of an increase in violence against prostitutes. Hong Kong sentenced a website owner to 18 months in jail for carrying advertising for prostitutes ("living off  the earnings of a prostitute"). That raised concern that the law makes guilty a doctor who treats a prostitute, landlords, and newspapers which carry solicitations for a trade which is legal.

  • The Netherlands legalized prostitution eight years ago, hoping to rid the trade of smuggling and money laundering, hoping also  that the state would need only regulate the trade and collect taxes. Today, "the link between prostitution and organized crime has proved durable." Police who patrol Amsterdam's red-light district estimate that half of the women posing in the windows are there against their will.

  • During the four years since Sweden began fining, imprisoning, and publicly shaming the men who pay for sex with someone who has been forced into prostitution or is controlled for another's gain, the number of streetwalking prostitutes has dropped 40%. This seems to be the result of reducing drive-by encounters.

  • Scotland has also begun banning curb-crawling, as Sweden has.

For those readers who are on principle against legalizing prostitution, there are enough negatives associated with legalization to confirm the correctness of their belief. For  those who favor legalization, the negatives are neither as numerous nor as serious as the tragedies and crimes which with prohibition.

And the experiments described above provides ammunition for both side in the debate over legalizing drugs. -- April 2009 See Legalize Drugs

 

 

 

'