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Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

23. I have thought of this for years....

Reply to Stinky The Clown (Original post)

Sat Apr 13, 2013, 10:29 PM

Apr 2013

more years than I will discuss here. I cannot imagine why our society has not evolved beyond criminalization of people who use drugs.

I go further, and have come to the conclusion that we should just legalize all drugs in the same way that alcohol is legal, take the profit out of it for the gang bangers and drug lords, and tax it.

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What purpose is served in criminalizing drug use? [View all] Stinky The Clown Apr 2013 OP

Absolutely nothing ... and as evidenced by how well it's worked. ... but the US is good at creating RKP5637 Apr 2013 #1

Purpose? Confining/controlling minorities and the poor. Avalux Apr 2013 #2

And don't forgot... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2013 #28

Yep. And I will add ........ socialist_n_TN Apr 2013 #52

money and jobs, including the private prison system. not to mention, disenfranchising a large niyad Apr 2013 #3

Nothing of consequence happens in this country unless profit is involved mick063 Apr 2013 #14

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2013 #4

How would privatized prisons survive OriginalGeek Apr 2013 #5

I'll think of them for you... retired rooster Apr 2013 #29

No socially advantageous purpose imo, Stinky. elleng Apr 2013 #6

Read the Newest Reality Apr 2013 #7

Ahhh ... the book is online! Newest Reality Apr 2013 #8

And an excellent book it is... retired rooster Apr 2013 #30

I'm $ure there'$ $ome pre$$ing rea$on LadyHawkAZ Apr 2013 #9

Almsot every politician knows the drug war is a disaster mokawanis Apr 2013 #10

I'm for decriminialization and treating addiction as a public health issue. nt rrneck Apr 2013 #11

+10000000. nt riderinthestorm Apr 2013 #25

Private prison slave labour of course Kurska Apr 2013 #12

You could ask the same of any law that criminalizes personal behavior. randome Apr 2013 #13

Seat belts are to save insurance payouts...traffic signals are to save insurance payouts HereSince1628 Apr 2013 #16

Without these laws, we would have a lot more dead people, too. randome Apr 2013 #17

The dead are cheap, their hospital bills not so much. HereSince1628 Apr 2013 #22

No traffic signals??? Curmudgeoness Apr 2013 #24

bad analogies, in the case of drug criminalization, It is a punitive law against Dragonfli Apr 2013 #41

By that logic, anyone drinking liquor should be arrested because they might own a still Bluenorthwest Apr 2013 #51

Two primary purposes. One, to marginalized and ostracize a competitive industry Egalitarian Thug Apr 2013 #15

There is an opinion shared by some that it bolsters the private prison industry. Cleita Apr 2013 #18

Aren't private prisons a relatively new phenomenon, though? randome Apr 2013 #20

Not that new. Also, we were on our way to decriminalizing when this new Cleita Apr 2013 #21

Yes, but there has been an easy money trail to follow all along the way. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2013 #49

Here's some spooky info on corrupt Illinois prosecutors LegalScholar Apr 2013 #19

I have thought of this for years.... Curmudgeoness Apr 2013 #23

Simple illustration right here... Bennyboy Apr 2013 #26

Transfer of wealth from the underclass, support of the Prison Industrial Complex... bluedigger Apr 2013 #27

feeding the privatized prison system...crime pays seriously spanone Apr 2013 #31

More profits for the liquor industry. Mr.Bill Apr 2013 #32

Fulfilling the occupancy provisions in the contracts with the private prisons. KamaAina Apr 2013 #33

I've always wondered the same thing, Stinky... ReRe Apr 2013 #34

Letters to shareholders from private prison executives: woo me with science Apr 2013 #35

Yep. The private prison industry demands it. jsr Apr 2013 #36

The link takes me to a page that says: ohheckyeah Apr 2013 #40

Oops, sorry. woo me with science Apr 2013 #45

Thank you. ohheckyeah Apr 2013 #46

I have that fantasy all the time. woo me with science Apr 2013 #47

I read part of the story ohheckyeah Apr 2013 #48

Yes, you are correct Stinky The Clown GiveMeFreedom Apr 2013 #37

Profit for those that own the prisons. Nothing else. Initech Apr 2013 #38

only some drug use is criminalized green for victory Apr 2013 #39

Money - Banks Paul E Ester Apr 2013 #42

It's not private prisons Nevernose Apr 2013 #43

Lots of reasons. HiPointDem Apr 2013 #44

It keeps people in prison, which funds the prison-industrial complex. Apophis Apr 2013 #50