MD–
Never mind, I’m changing my name back. I failed on my ass-mission this evening. Turns out the girl just wanted me for my mind. I’m an intellectual whore.
T-Quinn–
I think SackO’Crack is on the right track… Jack.
I think that, if legalization were to occur (which, I might add, it won’t) the government would be making money through taxation of the stuff, rather than throwing it away trying to bust people. Hell, the CIA already sold the stuff, right? They know how much money there is to be made on it.
In addition, the money that the government would generate could be shunted–at least in part–to education, treatment, and prevention of addiction. They could sell meth in a vending machine down the street, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to buy it.
As to the addiction issue, would there be more or less addiction because of legalization? Could you get, say, Heroin at your local 7-11? That would seem to open a can of worms–a whole bunch of people who couldn’t get Horse or Crack before would now be exposed–people in the suburbs, in rural areas, in remote locations. This higher exposure, I think, would lead to higher addictions.
That being said, I have very little interest in snorting cocaine, legal or not. It could be argued that “addicts are addicts” and they will seek out whatever’s available–see the recent explosion in methamphetamine production/consumption in the very same areas: suburbs, rural and remote locations.
Perhaps “hard” drugs should still be illegal, but if you get busted, you would have to get treatment as opposed to prison time. Because right now, our prisons are full of non-violent drug offenders. And those guys don’t come out as non-violent, either. They can’t get a job as an ex-con, and now they have a social network of violent criminals that they’re plugged into. So what do you think they’re going to do? Work at whatever shit job they can get? Or go hold up liquor stores and banks?
I’m saying that prison definitely doesn’t serve drug offenders, especially minor drug offenders.
I think this is part of a larger system of inequality built into the prison system, economics, and the social climate of America in the 21st century. Is it our responsibility to rectify this inequality through redistribution of funds, i.e. communism/socialism? Of course not. But I DO think that education MUST be a priority in economically disadvantaged areas–rural, urban, or otherwise. Because otherwise, the system will continue to perpetuate itself. With no education, what options do the poor have? Low wage job, military, selling drugs. Which of those is going to make you the most money? As an economic agent, which would you select?
Now that I’m WAY off topic, I’ll close, I guess.
Dan “long winded and pretentious” McVicker