cannabisnews.com: Residents Say Country Losing War on Drugs 





Residents Say Country Losing War on Drugs 
Posted by FoM on March 22, 2001 at 06:25:23 PT
By Thomas Doyle, Globe-News Business Writer 
Source: Amarillo Globe-News
Many Amarillo residents feel the war on drugs isn't working, or isn't working like it should. "I think there should be more of a rehabilitative focus when dealing with defendants rather than a punitive focus," said David Isern, a criminal defense lawyer. But not everyone agreed with him. "I think they should be much harder on drug offenders," said Tiffany Coffman. "Especially with repeat offenders."
Mary-Jeanne Kreek, professor and head of the Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases at Rockefeller University in New York, agreed that more treatment is a necessity."We know we can take hardened criminals who are long-term heroin addicts, and get them into effective treatments, and they become taxpayers. And that's terrific," Kreek said.Kreek was the guest speaker at the 2001 Marsh Lectureship on Wednesday at the Texas Tech Medical Center.Damein Miller said the war on drugs has worked to a degree."People, in my opinion, are a lot more aware of the consequences," he said. This makes them less likely to sell or buy drugs, he said.Marijuana, however, should be legalized, he said, and tax dollars are being wasted to punish users of marijuana."If they heavily taxed (marijuana), I think everyone would win in that situation," Miller said.Rosendo Amador agreed."It's just wasting taxpayer money on a victimless crime," he said. By legalizing marijuana, he said, many people would be kept out of jail. Harder drugs, however, should remain illegal.Other residents such as C.E. Roof said the way to deal with drugs like marijuana is to treat it like alcohol. The government should set up state control boards and tax it heavily.Kreek, however, said legalizing drugs would just make them more available to those who are genetically predisposed to become addicted.Many agreed with Kreek and Isern that therapy is the solution."I believe the war on drugs isn't working," said Donald Mincey. He said more therapy programs are needed instead of incarceration.By putting some users in jail, children are deprived of parents and families are deprived of providers, he said.Others think the war on drugs is focused in the wrong place."I think the war on drugs is focused on minority people," said Sheldon Crain. Drug raids usually happen in lower-class neighborhoods, when drugs are being made and sold in wealthier parts of cities, he said.The war on drugs should also be focused more on the producers, he said. Action should be taken against the drug fields in Colombia along with other producers, Crain said.Crain said some people who sell drugs are just desperate to make ends meet. While it's wrong, desperate times can lead people to take desperate measures, he said."You can take the richest man, put him on the street, and he'll do what he can to survive," he said.Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX)Author: Thomas Doyle, Globe-News Business Writer Published: Thursday, March 22, 2001Fax: (806) 373-0810Copyright: 2001 Amarillo Globe-NewsAddress: P.O. Box 2091, Amarillo, TX 79166Contact: letters amarillonet.comWebsite: http://amarillonet.com/Forum: http://208.138.68.214:90/eshare/server?action=4Related Articles:Amarillo Globe's Special Section http://www.amarillonet.com/specialsection/Drugs Taking Heavy Toll on Nation http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9102.shtmlFight Goes National http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9101.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by Cuzn Buzz on March 22, 2001 at 20:55:26 PT
Tiffany's Tangled Mind
So Miss Tiffany thinks they should be harder on users huh?Harder than what?Harder than being ripped away from your family and stuffed into gulag america?Harder than submitting to being told you must urinate on demand....sometimes observed?Harder than having everything you've worked for stolen by the state?Harder than dying because you can't eat due to nausea?All this over a substance no more harmful than Grandmothers lemonade?Well gee Tiffany, too bad there is no death penalty for stupidity or we'd be rid of you in short order.KEEP AMERIKA BEAUTIFUL....DEPORT TIFFANY!
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Comment #1 posted by aocp on March 22, 2001 at 08:30:49 PT:
Interesting stuff
Damein Miller said the war on drugs has worked to a degree."People, in my opinion, are a lot more aware of the consequences," he said.And yet they continue to ignore these consequences. Doesn't sound like much of anything is being accomplished.This makes them less likely to sell or buy drugs, he said.That's a nice feelgood soundbite, but they're still ignoring the consequences. As nothing has been tried as an alternative, we have no comparison, so i find this to be nothing like an absolute.Marijuana, however, should be legalized, he said, and tax dollars are being wasted to punish users of marijuana.Good so far..."If they heavily taxed (marijuana), I think everyone would win in that situation," Miller said.Basic economix says that black markets feed off of the undercutting of legal, regulated suppliers. Tax anything enough and the crooks are gonna come back. The theory is heartfelt, but don't forget about thinking the whole issue through. I feel there is always a middle ground.
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