Drug war

What is your opinion on the drug war - do you believe substances themselves are the main source of addictions, or that addition is more of a human problem, and the substances are a symptom rather than a source? As well as non-illegal addictions, such as tobacco and alcohol, or others.

I'm aware of organizations like Alcoholics Anonyous - some of the members believe they have a strong genetic disposition towards alcoholism (which I've heard may be the case of Native Americans), but that this varies - some people are merely "social drinkers", for example, not people who can't live without the substance.

 

There has never been a "war on drugs"
If there's a war on drugs then there's a war on rape, a war on murder, a war on drunk driving...etc etc
The Left like to refer to the imposition of law and order as a "War on ______" if it may stop them from feeling good about their filthy habits and behaviors.

 

Don't be so hard on yourself. As far as I'm aware of, it's not a "left/right" issue to begin with. I doubt you've even read the Common Law (state law) and how it originated, or understand the court processes - there's a book on it by Oliver Wendall Holmes you can read, if your reading level is high enough.

(Hint, most of it manifested from the precedents of British judges, some of which had some ties to Jeremy Bentham and those of the "utilitarian" philosophy, which is associated with modern liberal and progressive beliefs, as opposed to the conservative tradition, like that of Russel Kirk).

 

Look bud, you asked and I answered.
Your motive is clear; I'm certain you're not a lowlife, degenerate drug user...haha.....So what are your drugs of choice?

 

To me, its more of a human problem. I was just now thinking of late country legend Keith Whitley and how bad his drinking habit was. If an actual bottle of liquor wasn't within his reach, he would go for whatever else was which included things like men's cologne.

God bless you and his family always!!!

Holly

 

Fair enough - my drug is knowledge.

 

Addition is definitely a human problem. I know some adults who can't do simple math...

 

As far as I'm aware of, drug use is more associated with poverty and low education, much like abortion is, than anything "political".

Much as I don't consider the Common Law or its policies on drugs a political thing, as much as just a pragmatic institution.

I don't find drugs or viewing them as a be-all-end-all life pursuit appealing, no. I have no comment on specific drugs (e.x. marijuana) and their effects - they never appealed to me. Or legal addictions with rampant effects, such as obesity (e.x. food addition), which seems to me to be more of a problem in every day life than illegal drug use anyway.

I think that people who have no morals or purpose in life will look to fill it with some void, be it illegal drugs, binge TV watching, obesity-educing food, or anything else.

 

Poverty and low education? Hollywood actors and so-called rock stars probably account for 80% of imported hard drugs including heroin and cocaine. They protect each other from arrest and are protected by sycophant fans and government agents. If chronic drug abuse prevented induction into the R&R hall of fame it would be one big empty hall.

 

It seems very clear to be that drug abuse (including alcohol and tobacco) is very harmful, not just to individuals who engage in it, but to those with whom they associate, and to society as a whole, and that society has a legitimate interest in doing whatever it reasonably can to discourage it.

The current approach is to treat it as a criminal problem, to treat the manufacture, distribution, and use of certain drugs (oddly, turning a blind eye to tobacco and alcohol) as crimes, and to punish those caught doing so as criminals. This is most likely a manifestation the cliché about how, when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, government's primary tool being the enactment and enforcement of laws. I'm not solidly convinced that this is the best way to deal with this problem. Coming up with a better way is far outside of my own expertise, but I am open to the idea that there is a better way to discourage drug abuse and to mitigate the harm that it causes to individuals and to society.