OdderMensch
20th May 2003, 02:47 PM
Ok this is a follow up thread to some questions raised in other threads. I believe it deserves a new thread in order to limit the discussion to this: What is a reasonable endgame senario to the war on drugs.
My belief is that 'wiping out drugs' is impossible. People will inevitably find new ways to alter their brain chemistry even if the current drugs were magically removed from existence (ie all opium, coca and cannabis seeds in the world suddenly became sterile.)
So what effect will ending the drug war have? Will its implications be far reaching, or short lived? Or will we always maintain prohibition to some level?
I would like to propose this as a possible endgame.
Step one - end Marijuana prohibition.
This is done on several fronts simultaneously. First and foremost would be the removal of marijuana from the 'schedule process' or reclassifying it as schedule 4 (as has been done in the UK I think)
Then propose legislation on the states to classify MJ as an intoxicant analogous to beer and wine, then regulating it acordingly. This will hinder minors from gaining access to the new legal market, and provide a level of tax return for the states.
Also, i believe we should continue the ban on imports until such time as new trade agreements can be made with our former 'partners' in the drug war. (selflessly this will also allow for the reemergence of our own domestic production, and offset the need for massive importation)
One major sticking point will be the people currently under incarceration for drug crimes. I belive they should be pardoned and their records wiped clean, if and only if, their crime was solely those of possession, production or distribution. (ie if your were serving a 5 year sentence for distribution, nd a three year sentence for an illegal hand guns, you would continue the sentence for the gun, but would be pardoned of the drug crime.)
Now, to this point I have only adressed MJ. This is due to the nature of the substance being substantially different from that of the other, harder drugs. images of stoned, midless rape zombies ravaging through the land as proposed in old propaganda films simply will not happen. While you will see an overall spike in drug use, it will be similar to the spike that has been seen in the homosexual population since the 70's and 80's, it will be the rusult of the population being brought out into the open. You will see your old managers and teachers stopping by seven-eleven for an ounce of kind and a slurpie. It will be shocking to many at first, but will cause no major breakdown in society.
Step two - the hard drugs
Much more difficult will be the reintroduction of legal sources for cocaine, opium, there derivatives and the hallucinogens. Oddly I see opium as the simplest of these to mainstream. But these questions are better left to experts, so I'd propose that a team be established as soon as the decision is made to end the war, and they be given such time is necessary to confer amongst themselves and suggest the best means of distribution and sale. But the substances must be off the black market as soon as is reasonable. If anyone is curious, I'll post my nonexpert plan.
Some also suggest a surge in actual drug use at first as the substances are made legal, and while this is possible, I do not see it as a cause for alarm. While more people will be exposed to the substances, also more education about the substances will become available. Drugs will lose the magical rebellious nature they has acumulated over the years and will once again be another set of tools we use to make life more livable.
It is also important to note that drug use is cyclical in nature, as is prohibition, both China and the Turkish empires had banned or allowed drug use several times thought their respective histories, and the use of cocaine and opium wax and wane over the decades, re legalization will give us a measure of control that does not currently exist.
My belief is that 'wiping out drugs' is impossible. People will inevitably find new ways to alter their brain chemistry even if the current drugs were magically removed from existence (ie all opium, coca and cannabis seeds in the world suddenly became sterile.)
So what effect will ending the drug war have? Will its implications be far reaching, or short lived? Or will we always maintain prohibition to some level?
I would like to propose this as a possible endgame.
Step one - end Marijuana prohibition.
This is done on several fronts simultaneously. First and foremost would be the removal of marijuana from the 'schedule process' or reclassifying it as schedule 4 (as has been done in the UK I think)
Then propose legislation on the states to classify MJ as an intoxicant analogous to beer and wine, then regulating it acordingly. This will hinder minors from gaining access to the new legal market, and provide a level of tax return for the states.
Also, i believe we should continue the ban on imports until such time as new trade agreements can be made with our former 'partners' in the drug war. (selflessly this will also allow for the reemergence of our own domestic production, and offset the need for massive importation)
One major sticking point will be the people currently under incarceration for drug crimes. I belive they should be pardoned and their records wiped clean, if and only if, their crime was solely those of possession, production or distribution. (ie if your were serving a 5 year sentence for distribution, nd a three year sentence for an illegal hand guns, you would continue the sentence for the gun, but would be pardoned of the drug crime.)
Now, to this point I have only adressed MJ. This is due to the nature of the substance being substantially different from that of the other, harder drugs. images of stoned, midless rape zombies ravaging through the land as proposed in old propaganda films simply will not happen. While you will see an overall spike in drug use, it will be similar to the spike that has been seen in the homosexual population since the 70's and 80's, it will be the rusult of the population being brought out into the open. You will see your old managers and teachers stopping by seven-eleven for an ounce of kind and a slurpie. It will be shocking to many at first, but will cause no major breakdown in society.
Step two - the hard drugs
Much more difficult will be the reintroduction of legal sources for cocaine, opium, there derivatives and the hallucinogens. Oddly I see opium as the simplest of these to mainstream. But these questions are better left to experts, so I'd propose that a team be established as soon as the decision is made to end the war, and they be given such time is necessary to confer amongst themselves and suggest the best means of distribution and sale. But the substances must be off the black market as soon as is reasonable. If anyone is curious, I'll post my nonexpert plan.
Some also suggest a surge in actual drug use at first as the substances are made legal, and while this is possible, I do not see it as a cause for alarm. While more people will be exposed to the substances, also more education about the substances will become available. Drugs will lose the magical rebellious nature they has acumulated over the years and will once again be another set of tools we use to make life more livable.
It is also important to note that drug use is cyclical in nature, as is prohibition, both China and the Turkish empires had banned or allowed drug use several times thought their respective histories, and the use of cocaine and opium wax and wane over the decades, re legalization will give us a measure of control that does not currently exist.