Afghanistan's poppy fields.

[Snowflake 0]

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You're probably right. As was mentioned earlier, as long as there is a demand... there will be production of dope. It's fast, big money and a good way to support a cause. I don't think, the terrorism is appreciated by anyone but, it's been going on for centuries just as the demand for dope has been going on for centuries. What do we do? Just sit back and enjoy it because, it's inevitible?

No!! Fix the problem we made in reaction to the drug epidemic of the early 19th century. Legalize "the illegal drugs". Make sure the public understands the effects that the drugs can have. Separate marijuana out of the equation or at least quite associating it with narcotics. Bad information on one drug can lead to people assuming that all the information is bad.

This will at least remove the criminal element. It will also Allow us to a revenue stream from the taxes. Also we can save billions of dollars not fighting a silly "war" that we've been getting our ass kicked in for 20+ years.

Prohibition didn't work and neither will the "drug war" all it does is create a vacum for criminal activity.

As far as funding "terrorists", well good luck trying to get any of the drug producing countries to make it legal. To many are making money hand over fist. As well as the power that the money provides them.

Why not! Like you said, 'prohibition' didn't work. Make that shit legal and even more accessable to youngsters. We could have stores selling all that shit like we have liquor stores or Baskin Robbins! Can you just imagine the traffic fatalaties? Not to mention all the shootings and stabbings and just the overall chaos? Because of all that whacked-out dope-heads! Noone can handle booze and noone can handle dope... they just 'think' they can. I know that from experience. Legalizing it would probably mean a drop in price.(bright side to the users)
What the government needs to do is really, honest to God crack-down on dope. Not this silly little, so-called 'War On Drugs'! What a joke! These little 'busts' we read and hear about aren't even scratching the surface. We need to get in there with the countries that produce it and don't want it and seriously help them get rid of it. Make the fines and penalties much stiffer for posession, selling and etc. Maybe, our government doesn't want to do that because they might lose out on some of the big bucks from it. I'll agree, booze is bad enough and weed, ain't much better. JMO.


Chuck

As noted it's easier for youngsters to get illegal/legal drugs. Then it is for them to buy alcohol. The only difference from your "examples" is removing the criminal element from the equation. From the time I was in Jr high till I was out of high school it was easier to get drugs than booze. Due to the simple fact that I could buy dope at school, at almost any point during the school day. I doubt much has changed since then, except you can get scrips easy on the net now.

Plenty of people can handle dope(do you mean all illegal drugs or specific ones?) and booze. The fact that you couldn't does not mean that the none of the other 5 or 6 billion people in the world can't. Thats a false causal chain.

As I stated earlier quite a few people in power in the governments of these drug producing countries don't want our help. They are making lots of money and obtaining power through the drug trade. So good luck with the lets go eradicate drug production. It's not gonna happen. For the same reason tobacco and booze are still legal in the US MONEY$$$$.

Making stiffer penalties and ramping up enforcement. will not stop the demand it never has. All it will do is increase the price of the drugs, the prison population of this country, and the amount of money the US gov't wastes on the "drug war".

It's not going away legal or illegal. Why take the path of most resistance, money waste, and criminality. To get the same result?

[masterrig 1]

You've definately provided food for thought. How times have changed! When i was a kid, it was easier to get booze or beer! Give an old wino the money and he'd buy the beer. We always made sure, he had enough for a jug of wine.
Obviously, I damned sure don't have the answers to the 'problem of illegal drugs and I don't think, anyone else does either. All we have, is a problem... legal or otherwise.


Chuck

[warpedskydiver 0]

Follow the $$$

Lack of finances tends to put a crimp in the enemies war fighting capabilities

[Amazon 7]

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Lack of finances tends to put a crimp in the enemies war fighting capabilities

I tend to wonder if the same people who did so well in the Golden Triangle in the 60's-70's-80's and like to fund black ops have their sticky little fingers in this one too

[enflyt 0]

"Without a viable alternative agricultural product, it will be very difficult to persuade farmers to stop cultivating opium poppies.56 It is a lucrative business. According to the UN, a hectare (approx. 2.5 acres) of poppies yielded $4,600 in 2004 (67 percent less than in 2003 because of excess supply). A hectare of wheat, in comparison, yielded about $390. Most of the illegal profits flow into the pockets of powerful warlords and traffickers. Still, the average annual income for opium farmers is three times the national average."

This comes from Countries in Perspective, a site put out by the Defense Language Institute. Here's the link for Afghanistan... http://lingnet.org/areaStudies/perspectives/afghanistan/default.htm

and there are also other links to countries like Iraq, Iran, China etc. I picked option 2.. because I think that if we are capable of lending assistance, then we should at least try. Just cause the Taliban are a fucked up group of individuals doesnt mean that the whole country is.

And.. side note, i highly reccommend the book The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossini, along with his new book A Thousand Splendid Suns.

[akarunway 1]

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Lack of finances tends to put a crimp in the enemies war fighting capabilities

I tend to wonder if the same people who did so well in the Golden Triangle in the 60's-70's-80's and like to fund black ops have their sticky little fingers in this one too

Ya think? But the sheep can't comprehed this one.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Butters 0]

This is not a war on drugs, this is a war on who makes money from drugs. Oxycotin ... enough said.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch