cannabisnews.com: We Must End The Unwinnable War on Drugs










  We Must End The Unwinnable War on Drugs

Posted by FoM on November 05, 2001 at 22:22:39 PT
LTE By J. Gary Christensen, M.D 
Source: Chicago Tribune 

The users of illegal drugs (especially cocaine and heroin) right now must be worried that, because the products they are consuming are illegal, there is no way for them to be sure that it has not been spiked with anthrax or other terrorist weapons.I would also suspect that many of them are distressed to think that a portion of the money they are spending on drugs is finding its way into the coffers of Osama bin Laden and his ilk.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if these concerns finally put an end to the drug trade by eradicating demand?That is realistically the only way such a business can ever be eliminated (just ask the bootleggers of the 1930s who were suddenly out of work as soon as Prohibition was repealed).But I firmly believe that a large portion of those unfortunate people who use (abuse) these drugs are not simply customers but addicts--sick people who cannot overcome their need for the drugs.Thus, in spite of very good reasons to stop using (just as alcoholics have reasons to stop drinking), they simply won't.They will continue, in spite of themselves, and especially in the absence of treatment, risking serious illness and death and giving our misguided government reason to continue its futile, outrageously expensive war on drugs.I would strongly urge all thinking citizens to demand that we stop this "war," which, because it only attacks the supply side, we simply cannot win, and redirect these billions of dollars and massive manpower to the war on terrorism, which we can and absolutely must win.We must legalize drugs, just as we have legalized alcohol, but let the government sell them at reasonable prices; make sure that the supplies are free of contamination and come from legitimate, reliable and politically friendly producers; constantly remind users of the risks to their health; offer them rehabilitation to be paid for out of the profits on drug sales; put the greedy, murderous drug lords out of business; and get on with the business of making our country safe for us all.We must end a policy that puts so many of our citizens (users, drug-enforcement officers and poor people caught in the crossfire of drug-inspired gang warfare) at such inane and horrible risk. There is no reasonable alternative.Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)Author: J. Gary Christensen, M.DPublished: November 5, 2001Copyright: 2001 Chicago Tribune CompanyContact: ctc-TribLetter Tribune.comWebsite: http://www.chicagotribune.com/Related Articles:Money on Drug War Could Be Put to Better Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11112.shtmlIt's Time to Give Up the War on Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10882.shtml

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Comment #9 posted by Wintermute on November 07, 2001 at 16:46:19 PT
propaganda...
hehehe strange ways on mixing ben laden and drugs... just to share you something, I suppose the article talks on this as Afghanistan is the first heroin producer of the world (I've heard that a lot). Taliban's ban to poppt production reduces in more than 90% it's production, 'tis the North Alliance which produces the opium that makes Afghanistan top on heroin supply:http://www.undcp.org/pakistan/report_2001-10-16_1.pdfOr something on NBC...http://www.msnbc.com/news/564809.asp
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 06, 2001 at 21:37:45 PT

News Brief from The Washington Post 
DEA Chief: War on Drugs Hurting

Wednesday, November 7, 2001; Page A02 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51740-2001Nov6.html 

The war against terrorism is diverting federal agents, patrol boats and other resources from the war on drugs, the nation's chief narcotics officer said yesterday.

"It's a battle of resources right now," Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson said at a breakfast with reporters. It is particularly an issue for the Coast Guard and the FBI, he said. "When the dust settles, there will be discussions."

The FBI has removed agents from narcotics cases for counterterrorism duty, Hutchinson said, and Coast Guard cutters that once were dedicated to patrolling for narcotics shipments now watch over vulnerable seaports.

"We've tried to make up the slack," said Hutchinson, a former Republican congressman from Arkansas who became the DEA's director three months ago.

He said it remains to be hashed out whether "functional shifts" in the duties of federal agencies are required. A "formal reworking of the jurisdiction lines" may be needed, he said, if the FBI, a major ally in the drug war, withdraws permanently from drug investigations.

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Comment #6 posted by dddd on November 06, 2001 at 20:35:30 PT

Thanx for the jeans MDG...
..but I no longer have a 30" waist....heck,I'm lucky to get into a pair of 34s nowdays...oh well,,it's the thought that counts.
..And on the Bill Maher thing,,he has been refering to all Islamic people as "them",,and suggesting that "they all",want to kill Americans....It almost seems as if he is on the payroll of the government office of Sheeple control....dddd
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Comment #5 posted by MDG on November 06, 2001 at 12:59:16 PT

Bill Maher...
Yeah, he's rather disgusting lately. He recently had a young Muslim-American woman on who was directly telling him he was wrong, because she knew about Islam! He, however, just kept on saying the same thing with that irritating lalalalala-I can't hear you-lalalalalala-I still can't hear you-lalalalalala smug tone of his.I was so irritated, I went to Sears, bought some Husky jeans, and Fed-Exed them to dddd. And to think Bill actually calls himself a Libertarian. Hah!
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Comment #4 posted by p4me on November 06, 2001 at 11:01:25 PT:

grow your own
If you are concerned that your marijuana is spiked as this article mentions, it seems the safest thing to do is grow your own. I do not think that Ben is into MJ, but if you do not want to support the black market, it only seems logical to grow your own. I guess I think different than these paid journalist. Of course you cannot stick your neck out by calling the DEA a national disgrace day after day and take a chance like that. Anybody ever wonder when the US will be allowed back on the UN Human Rights Commission or the UN Drug Commission?Vote against all incumbents down to dogcatcher. Out with the old and in with the new.
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Comment #3 posted by Gorillakilla on November 06, 2001 at 08:37:29 PT

fuk bin laden
Yet again this is another article that prooves that marijuana should be legalized. Legalization provides a great old\new product to spark the economy. Also it takes the profits out of gun toting drug lords (that very may well be Osomo's advocates)and puts it into hard working American pockets.I know it might piss off budweiser(alcohol replacement) and texaco(Marinol) but fuk them along with Bin Laden.Also it will keep this heavenly plant on American soil and out of anthrax's deadly reach.
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Comment #2 posted by qqqq on November 06, 2001 at 00:39:54 PT

This is a good article.....but
..I'm gonna go off topic,and mention how PI,and Bill Maher,have slid way downhill...Maher has been brainwashed into a remarkably sudden change.....and it seems to me,that even though he has some dissenting guests on the show,we havnt seen anyone radicly speaking out...it seems like these guests are even treading carefully.....it's disgusting.
..and to be further disgusted,,,just watch ,,this week the empire,will have an all out campaign,to put the most advanced,and vigorous hardsells yet ,,in an attempt to bring the flock into support of dubya dubya III. ....keep your eyes open ,,as your evening news brings you a masterfully designed puppetshow,,that will seem to offer some sort of "dissenting free press" pseudo-critical charade............The extent of public indoctrination nowdays,is far beyond alarming.....The news is seeded with hundreds of comments ,saying that 88,or 76 percent of Americans are "behind the bombings",,or"support the pResident",,but they have yet to give a source for this LIE!.....it's gonna get really insane real soon,,,,so enjoy life now!....indeedddd
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Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on November 06, 2001 at 00:16:25 PT

One dang smart doctor
not that hard to understand? probably for the prohiban fools..ff
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