Roots Archives Forum

Congressman Ron Paul called for an end to the Drug War and a repeal of "most" Federal drug laws last night during the PBS Republican Presidential Debates hosted by Tavis Smiley.

"We have already spent over $400 billion since the early 70s and it's wasted money. Prohibition didn't work; prohibition on drugs doesn't work."

Ron Paul cited the unfair disparity between the relative percentage of black drug users and blacks imprisoned for drug use . He called for equal justice under the law, giving example to the system's race-based "punishments."

"Blacks make up 14% of those who use drugs, yet 36% of those arrested are blacks and it ends up that 63% of those who finally end up in prison are blacks. This has to change. We don't have to have more courts and more prisons, we have to repeal the whole 'War on Drugs'-- it isn't working," Paul said.

Can't see it happening to be honest.

The "war on drugs" like immigration, gun control,sex education, and a few others are nearly impossible to broach rationally in the American political landscape.

It takes an enormous amount of courage for a politician-- of any stripe-- to move forward on this issue simply because it is so easy for him or her to be tagged as "soft on crime", "pro drugs", or some other ridiculous catch phrase.

For decades politicians made their careers by red-baiting their opponents effectively pushing the United States into the silliest positions-- witness the official policy toward Cuba (you know, fifty years on Castro is still in power-- guess the embargo has worked!).

The war on drugs will continue for some time because it is easier to blame the poor, or Colombia, or the Taliban, or whoever, than it is to admit that the country has an insatiable appetite for drugs, and deal with that fact in a way that makes sense.

You may have noticed that ending prohibition did indeed destroy the moral fiber of nation.

follow the money,who are the biggest supporters of this fight.

or...

who in the heck wants crystal meth,heroin,crack legalized anyways,imagine the problems then.

Like most Western cities, the one I live in has a number of heavy drug users. They rarely do paid work so they must rob and steal to feed their habit.

The taxpayer has to pay for their 'treatment' which actually consists of topping up their drugs stash with Methedone. This 'cure' has an appallingly low success rate, with the vast majority of registered addicts just abusing the system by using the methedone WITH heroin instead of in place of it.

Drug crime has got worse and now, even in the UK, people are getting shot over drugs and drug money.

Prohibited drugs means the underworld has to take over supply. It means the price is high and profits are huge, just the sort of 'work' the gangs like to do.

For these reasons I say legalise it all, make it free and cheap and if the weak-willed want to destroy themselves on this stuff, let them. At least they could do it without stealing.

Prohibition will never work. The ONLY method that will work is giving people better things to do with their minds, time and lives than to sit around and get caned on smack.

And just how does any government justify an 'anti-drugs' position that allows, and even taxes, the sale of two of the most dangerous drugs known, cigarettes and alcohol?

As usual these anti-drug wars have nothing to do with promoting social order and everything to do with money, power, corruption and crime.

@bleep

You think that the use of these "bad" drugs (crack, heroin, crank)is going to explode if possession and use is decriminalized?

I don't think so. These drugs are available now and those who want them can get them. I have serious doubts about the doomsday scenario you anticipate.

Prohibitionists argued that legal alcohol would destroy the county--it didn't happen. The government needs to stop playing parent and allow its citizens to take control of their lives and make their own decisions.

Oh! the drugs:as told by a profesor in one class is the most rentable bussines today.It affect all parts of society and nobody know a good plan to work the problem.In all the countrys the problem is diferent.In my island for example the biggest issue is not the user. instead is the traffic that raise crimes.As history is learn when we were a colonie of Spain we make trafic with St. Thomas and England colonie.This provide to the poor things that otherwise they don't get.Nowadays drugs is choice

Nowadays the drugs is a good choice and hundreds of years later we learn that costum of the trafic because our history.I'm sure that to find a solution for the drug problem we have to understand the history of the countrys and show the people better ways to get money.

Sorry for the errors:D

No i dont think people that dont use them will start.But the people that do use them will have better and easier access to them.Theese drugs destroy communitys and legalizing them will not stop that.

Now i dont believe going to war is an answer that is why i said follow the money,Liqour companys,lumber companys,pharmacutical companys are the biggest contributers to this campaign ,ask yourself why?

People do need help like better treatment centers,more housing,more food,more work ,that would go alot farther then saying here have your crack because we have your best intersts and dont want to parent you.

Yes there is valid theorys of why legalization should work but does it? I am not sure i have my serious doubts.And personally i dont want to see segments of society given up on and fuelled with the things that make them that way.

I also dont think anyone can compare alcohol to crack or meth .The addictions and abuse are way differnt and need diffenrt approaches.

Bleep, go look at the drunks in any city lying in the gutter in a pool of their own urine and vomit and then say that alcohol isn't a dangerous drug that wrecks lives. Then take a trip to the lung cancer ward and look at the effects of cigarettes.

And like I said, neither legalising drugs nor war on drugs will ever work. What is needed is to educate people in real values so they don't feel the need for these crutches.