Is the War on Drugs Worth Waging?

[RainDog]

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/up-with-chris-hayes/46439131

It's good that talking heads are discussing this on mainstream tv.

[socialindependocrat]

1. I vote = NO

Just the lives that have been destroyed because they were caught with pot and sent to prison.

At least the marijuana part needs to be corrected immediately.

The rest needs to be looked at from the point of
reducing the money going to the black market
and the tax dollars that could be used for reducing
the deficit instead of increasing the deficit and
ruining people's lives.

Not to mention the fanatic law enforcers who think
they are saving people from themselves. Again, we
take away the right for people to choose their own
path.

[TalkingDog]

5. I second your No and raise you.

NO!

[truedelphi]

2. Some of the many awful things that the war on drugs is doing:

Costing our nation a fortune in imprisoning people. Many of whom are simply self medicating.

Keeping our police, banking and public officials more and more corrupt as time goes by.

Forcing the average citizen away from any real "civil rights." And let's be honest - it is even worse for people of color. Far too many police jurisdictions have patrol officers who assume that non-whites have no ability to be driving in a fancy car, unless they are dealing drugs. So those folks bear a lot more hassle on account of the drug laws.

The average citizen is now forced to undergo drug testing - even if there is no real reason for a file clerk to "need" to be "marijuana free." The zero tolerance policy is keeping decent people out of the work force.

[infidel dog]

6. Abso-goddamn-lutely right on all of the above.

Also, the nightmarish "prisons for profit" concept provides strong incentive to keep as many citizens behind bars as possible..

[truedelphi]

7. Our politicians andofficials say "We have to figure out ways to have

America's workforce be competitive with the Chinese."

When in reality, in secret meetings, it has already been figured out: keep drug users in prison, supervised by alchoholics, (many of the prison guards are heavilyu into alchohol) and have these prisoners make shoes and other products for cents per hour.

[randr]

3. The clip they played from "Wired" says it all--nc

[Warpy]

4. It's a typical war against human nature and free will

waged by a bunch of prune faced moralists aided by men who see it as a way to strip us of our civil rights.

It's worked admirably in removing our rights. However, all it's gotten us is more drugs, more gangs, and more violence.

End it. The drugs won a long time ago. Just throw in the towel, cut our losses and end it.

[Warren Stupidity]

8. yes if you are making product and services for the prison industrial complex.