Quote:I've been following the political board here for quite some time, though admittedly without actually participating often, and am curious what everyone's view is on the legalization and taxation of recreational drugs (not just marijuana). I don't remember coming across a similar thread, barring a few comments here and there in unrelated topics. My apologies if this has already been discussed at length somewhere, I completely missed it.

 

Personally, I believe that all "hard drugs" should be legalized and regulated with non-violent drug offenders released from prison. This would free up over 50 billion dollars a year federally and over 40 billion between the states from a combination of lack of expenditure and estimated tax income. It would also cut the number of inmates in this country by almost half. (The average drug conviction costs almost $210,000. $30,619.85/yr to house an inmate with an average drug conviction of 82 months.)

 

On top of everything, ever since ~1970 when the drug war began, the addiction rate has hovered right around 1.5%.

 

So all in all, it's costing almost 100 billion dollars a year to not lower addiction rates, overcrowd prisons, and give cartels all of their power. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any positives here. Anyone care to discuss from either side?

 

Let me know if you'd like sources for any of this, I can dig them up if anyone is interested. I originally found most of this for a college paper a while back.

 

It's a tough debate. Personally I feel like drugs, primarily marijuana, needs to be legalized nationwide. Marijuana alone makes up about 41% - 47% yearly on drug based arrests for possession and producing/distributing. With cocaine, heroin and synthetic drug arrests combined making up the other 59% - 53%. So, you're automatically reducing and eating into most of the arrests with just the marijuana legalization alone. It's economically efficient as well based on what we've seen in Colorado. 

 

Now, when you say we should legalize "hard drugs". You're beginning to tread into some very murky waters that tether around what's ethical and humane and unethical and inhumane. And I think we'd have to draw a line there in the sand. We should still be making arrests on the meth users, meth producers and cocaine buyers and sellers, etc. Those scientifically have been proven to be more mentally and physically taxing on humanity. And, even if you do legalize these drugs. And you cut back on arrests. 

 

Where does that leave us? Now, you're cutting off your right arm and being faced with the potential of cutting off your left arm and one of your legs when you think about the long term effects and ripple effects this can have. Medical insurance will go up for starters. Addiction and treatment rates could change as some people will start down a path that they think they'll enjoy and then decide to stop. The social consequences as well are dangerous. You're talking about the potential of impacting whole communities, families and work places. Socially that won't and shouldn't stand. And the tax payers will have to foot that bill either way.

 

Now, as far as the overall history on the War on Drugs. To me, it's mired in inequality. It's pretty clear law enforcement agencies are just like fishermen. You go to your hot spots for activity because you know you'll catch something. It's pretty common. Most places that get targeted just so happen to be poor communities and minority communities. This isn't a matter of opinion. It's now fact. Statistics clearly show that's the case. And it creates a vicious cycle that we all casually like to ignore. You're targeting young poor men in well known communities that are poor and are known for a history of illegal activity. 

 

You make a petty arrest on a young man for minor possession. He now can't get to work because you suspended his license. He now loses said job. Goes into crime to make a living. Goes into the system. Comes out of the system. Has a family. Rinse and repeat. It's been going on for decades. And we're not changing our concepts or approach to any of this. We just keep the cycle going because it's profitable to those who own and dictate the industrial prison complex. Sadly, even if you take all of the minorities out of prison today. We'd still be overwhelmingly overpopulated. As poverty does not discriminate for the most part in our nation's history. 

 

I would like to see a flat law mandated nationwide as well for 1st time, 2nd time and 3rd time offenses when it comes to drug related arrests. I think that's something we should all be able to agree on. There's no way to argue that a 1st time offender or petty marijuana possession should be facing 1 or 2 years of prison time with a chance of good behavior while another 1st time offender for the same exact crime is looking at facing 2 years minimum with no chance of shortening his sentences. 

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