Crime and drugs.

[Woodznutz]

It is difficult to determine the effect that drug sales and use has on overall crime, but it is enormous. The solution is clear and well known to most, however Americans love their drugs, so drug enforcement has become the 'third rail' of crime legislation.

 

[deannalw]

It is difficult to determine the effect that drug sales and use has on overall crime, but it is enormous. The solution is clear and well known to most, however Americans love their drugs, so drug enforcement has become the 'third rail' of crime legislation.

Ain't clear to me-

Drugs have been a problem since the nation was born.

What is the solution?

 

[progressive hunter]

Ain't clear to me-

Drugs have been a problem since the nation was born.

What is the solution?

the solution sure isnt to hunt down and jail or kill people that decide what to put in their own bodies,,

as for the sellers,,

if its a manufactured drug they should go to jail,,

if its a plant that grows naturally I dont see an issue,,

I dont like that the government is involved but thats the price we pay for a civilized society,, better them than drug cartels

 

[deannalw]

the solution sure isnt to hunt down and jail or kill people that decide what to put in their own bodies,,

as for the sellers,,

if its a manufactured drug they should go to jail,,

if its a plant that grows naturally I dont see an issue,,

I dont like that the government is involved but thats the price we pay for a civilized society,, better them than drug cartels

But we've been doing that and it's not working.

Relying on govt. to fix a problem is like relying on a thief to house sit while you're on vacation.

I agree about the plants...

 

[progressive hunter]

But we've been doing that and it's not working.

Relying on govt. to fix a problem is like relying on a thief to house sit while you're on vacation.

I agree about the plants...

a lot of states have stopped,,

the feds seem to be talking about catching up,,

I have to add the culture needs to change for the real serious drugs that some places have made legal that have caused so much harm,,

government is downstream from culture,,

 

[Dragonlady]

It is difficult to determine the effect that drug sales and use has on overall crime, but it is enormous. The solution is clear and well known to most, however Americans love their drugs, so drug enforcement has become the 'third rail' of crime legislation.

No. Americans love locking up brown and black men because then they lose their rights to vote. Locking up drug addicts as criminals does nothing to end the drug problem.

Alternatively, 28 days isn't a definitive time of treatment. It's the amount of inpatient addicition treatment time insurance plans will pay for. Rehabs now cycle insured addicts in and out of rehab. It's a very profitable business with lots of repeat customers. Just ask the Sackler Family. Addicted customers are the most loyal customers.

Addiction is one of the "diseases of despair". Depression is another. Americans keep treating addiction as a crime and a "moral failing". It is a disease, and should be treated as such. The solution is to decriminalize drugs, and provide safe injection sites for intravenous drug users.

Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn’t the world copied it?

The long read: Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, Portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime

www.theguardian.com

Addiction results in increased crime in order to pay for the costs of the drugs. Remove the need to commit crimes to get drugs, and you lower the crime rate. It also makes dealing drugs useless, when addicts can get them for free elsewhere.

 

[Dragonlady]

a lot of states have stopped,,

the feds seem to be talking about catching up,,

I have to add the culture needs to change for the real serious drugs that some places have made legal that have caused so much harm,,

government is downstream from culture,,

I believe to this day that the CIA basically colluded with Manuel Noriega and his drug cartels, allowing him to flood drugs into the US inner ciities in the 1980's. Iran-Contra wasn't just about arms.

These stories have persisted since the 1980's and no Administration has ever really denied it happened. Every time it's been investigated, they simply stonewall everything behind a "classified" wall of silence.

 

[Woodznutz]

Ain't clear to me-

Drugs have been a problem since the nation was born.

What is the solution?

Drugs are a big problem without the associated crime. Let's remove the crime and go from there. Baby steps.

 

[Woodznutz]

No. Americans love locking up brown and black men because then they lose their rights to vote. Locking up drug addicts as criminals does nothing to end the drug problem.

Alternatively, 28 days isn't a definitive time of treatment. It's the amount of inpatient addicition treatment time insurance plans will pay for. Rehabs now cycle insured addicts in and out of rehab. It's a very profitable business with lots of repeat customers. Just ask the Sackler Family. Addicted customers are the most loyal customers.

Addiction is one of the "diseases of despair". Depression is another. Americans keep treating addiction as a crime and a "moral failing". It is a disease, and should be treated as such. The solution is to decriminalize drugs, and provide safe injection sites for intravenous drug users.

Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn’t the world copied it?

The long read: Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, Portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime

www.theguardian.com

Addiction results in increased crime in order to pay for the costs of the drugs. Remove the need to commit crimes to get drugs, and you lower the crime rate. It also makes dealing drugs useless, when addicts can get them for free elsewhere.

What you've posted suggests that you don't understand the problem, which is lack of effective government response to the problem.

 

[Independent thinker]

Ain't clear to me-

Drugs have been a problem since the nation was born.

What is the solution?

There was a lot less crime when we enforced marijuana laws and locking people up for it because a huge number of these people were actually criminals. It is a myth that we were arresting and imprisoning a bunch of law abiding people for marijuana possession. While I won't say this never happened, most people being arrested and jailed for marijuana possession were criminals in one way or another and these laws helped keep criminals off the streets. Not enforcing these laws has led to an explosion of crime.

 

[Woodznutz]

I believe to this day that the CIA basically colluded with Manuel Noriega and his drug cartels, allowing him to flood drugs into the US inner ciities in the 1980's. Iran-Contra wasn't just about arms.

These stories have persisted since the 1980's and no Administration has ever really denied it happened. Every time it's been investigated, they simply stonewall everything behind a "classified" wall of silence.

Allowing, even encouraging, drug use leads to more crime, which is justification for a burgeoning criminal justice system. All government agencies function to increase their size and power, mostly over the 'purse'.

 

[Woodznutz]

No. Americans love locking up brown and black men because then they lose their rights to vote. Locking up drug addicts as criminals does nothing to end the drug problem.

That's not the purpose.

Alternatively, 28 days isn't a definitive time of treatment. It's the amount of inpatient addicition treatment time insurance plans will pay for. Rehabs now cycle insured addicts in and out of rehab. It's a very profitable business with lots of repeat customers. Just ask the Sackler Family. Addicted customers are the most loyal customers.

Detaining drug addicts for a period of time ensures that no money flows to the cartels during that period. Neither incarceration nor treatment is necessary during their detainment. REBOS ("sober" spelled backwards) offers little in the way of treatment. Patients are court-ordered to 'dry out' in their facilities for two weeks. After that they are free to resume their drinking.

Addiction is one of the "diseases of despair". Depression is another. Americans keep treating addiction as a crime and a "moral failing". It is a disease, and should be treated as such. The solution is to decriminalize drugs, and provide safe injection sites for intravenous drug users.

Much drug addiction begins with moral failure, then progresses to a disease, which supports the moral failure of all engaged in the drug trade.

Addiction results in increased crime in order to pay for the costs of the drugs. Remove the need to commit crimes to get drugs, and you lower the crime rate. It also makes dealing drugs useless, when addicts can get them for free elsewhere.

Who is going to pay for these 'free' drugs.

About your Portugal article (waaaay too long to read), has addiction decreased? Of course, drug crime decreases if you decriminalize it. Hunger would decline as well if free food was given to everyone.

 

[d0gbreath]

With dope there's hope. With booze you lose.

 

[Woodznutz]

With dope there's hope. With booze you lose.

Some truth there. I had a hankering for a beer the other night, not having had one for months. I had two and felt lousy the next day.

 

[d0gbreath]

Some truth there. I had a hankering for a beer the other night, not having had one for months. I had two and felt lousy the next day.

With drugs and alcohol, tolerance is a big factor.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Ain't clear to me-

Drugs have been a problem since the nation was born.

What is the solution?

Poison the Drug Supply. Fight the Deadly with the Deadly.

 

[Woodznutz]

With drugs and alcohol, tolerance is a big factor.

I drank a lot of beer when I was younger. Can't do it anymore.

 

[Woodznutz]

Poison the Drug Supply. Fight the Deadly with the Deadly.

Or just don't respond to overdoses. We enable them at great cost to us.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

With dope there's hope. With booze you lose.

Thanks Jesse, but what is exactly the "hope" you're talking about? Being able to kick the habit of illicit drugs vs alcohol?

 

[d0gbreath]

I drank a lot of beer when I was younger. Can't do it anymore.

You could work your way back up, but why? It's not good for you, or me for that matter.