War on Drugs Reaches All Time Low

Apparently Ashcroft doesn't have enough to worry about these days. Check out his latest plan of targeting drug users.

Rose Richard:

Indicting the war on drugs

Res Ipsa Loquitur

Rose Richard photo illustration by Amy Sly

February 28, 2003

James Madison once said, "I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." This, my friends, is a good way to describe the toll the war on drugs has taken.

The war on drugs was started by Richard Nixon, who promised prior to his election that he would be our law-and-order president. But neither law nor order had much meaning to Nixon, other than it was a good lie to tell the people who'd vote him into office. He ended his presidency in ignominy and shame. He broke the laws he'd promised to uphold and lost any and all credibility when it came to law and order.

Such has been the fate of the war on drugs. The latest affront is operations "Pipe Dreams and Headhunter," two moronic attempts by a law enforcement agency (the DEA under the Justice Department) to sound like they have a clue about drug use. These two operations target owners and operators of head shops. Yes, head shops. They are not targeting violent dealers or prolific traffickers, they are basically chasing a legless man.

Stationary targets are the easiest to hit. And marijuana users are far easier to bust, because there are so many of them, and because they aren't usually the most sophisticated users and often do not take great pains to hide their casual use of marijuana. They are teen-agers, doctors, lawyers, librarians, your mom, anyone really. It's estimated that 72 million Americans have at least tried pot once. And the number increases steadily each year.

As a result of the 50 arrests resulting from the DEA stings on head shops, the Bush administration is pounding its chest as if it's cured heroin use, which is far from reality. Targeting head shops is like pissing in wind. You aren't doing anything to stem the tide of drugs headed into the country or to satisfy the demand of the consumer, whether it is a college student wishing to unwind after midterms or a hardcore methamphetamine addict.

Punitive actions are what make the U.S. drug policy so ineffective. There is a refusal of lawmakers to see the drug problem as more than a simplified moral one. What makes this even more problematic is that the concept of morality is so subjective. What about the Native Americans who consider peyote-eating an important part of their spirituality? John Ashcroft's morality is certainly at odds with this. And yet, the practice in question, to its Native-American practitioners, is a holy act.

Our drug war also fails in terms of harm reduction. We have few needle exchanges or methadone programs; where they do exist, they are overtaxed. Our jails are clogged with people (mostly African Americans) who have been put there on petty drug offenses designed as deterrents, which aren't working.

That drug laws unfairly target minorities, particularly African Americans and the Latino/a populations, even though white folks use more drugs than either, is a reality. A hugely disproportionate portion of African-American men have been jailed, simply because mandatory minimums for drug offenses have been created, taking power away from judges to form sentences due to circumstances, etc. Many police departments use racial profiling, whether they admit it or not, to stop cars on the highways and byways of America, in the hopes that they will come upon the next big bust.

As it exists now, the war on drugs is an ugly cancer on America. It allows for all sorts of ancillary social ills other than just the terrible consequences of drug abuse itself. Because we have very few needle exchange programs, addicts who use syringes are at greater risk and contract diseases like AIDS and hepatitis in greater numbers, putting further burdens on our health-care system.

I could go on.

Simply put, the recent "victories" of the DEA are really a farce. An example of how far the war on drugs hasn't come, because the DEA can't get rid of the really big and dangerous problems. Clap your hands now, boys, because someone, somewhere is dying because you saw their drug addiction as a moral weakness and not a health problem you could have done something to alleviate with the right kind of actions.

John Ashcroft really ought to ask himself right now, "What would Jesus do?" After all, despite the fact that I'm a badly lapsed Catholic, I do recall something in the bible about "whatever you do to the least, you do to me." Remember that when they call your number, my friend.

That drug laws unfairly target minorities, particularly African Americans

I think it was 'No More Prisons' by Upski.

my paraphrashing...

With cocaine busts involving white guys, %80 of the time it was powdered coke.

With cocaine busts involving blacks it was %80 crack rocks.

The line where posesion becomes trafficing is 500 grams of powder or 10 grams of crack.

Essentially the drug of choice with a minority is also much more seriously punished.

but yeah... drug threads get closed.

my brother was telling me the other day that 1 or 2 head shops were raided, and all the property seized.... claiming it was "paraphenelia".... :cough: bullshit :cough:

This is NOT a drug thread. I am not talking about using I am talking about another stupid branch of government using our tax dollars for useless programs.

This may not have been the best article, but the point is that DEA and Ashcroft are taking the drug war to new frontiers.

To target head shops is pretty petty. It doesn't reference it in this article but some websites have been targeted and not only was the equipment etc. seized their domain name was seized as well.

legalization is the only sollution. the foundations for marijuana legalization are already in place, with succeding generations of americans, these political foundations will be built further until like a pyramid, there is eventually a PEAK. this peak will be a legal victory. until then use your brain..

this is such a waste of money. I say legalize it and tax the fuck out of it.

HAHAHA I DONT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT WHAT SOME DUMB ASS WHITE POLITICIAN TRIES TO DO ABOUT DRUGS...CUS IM ALWAYS GONNA BE SMOKING, TRIPPING, AND DOIN ANYTHING I WANT...ASHCROFT CAN SUCK MY FUCKING COCK BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS HAVE WEED TO SELL AND SMOKE....STUPID ASS POLITICIANS

WOW THEY CLOSED HEADSHOPS, THATS THE PUSSIEST SHIT IVE EVER SEEN, INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT ILLICIT DRUGS THEY TARGET HARMLESS ESTABLISHMENTS, AND THEN THEY BRAG ABOUT IT...FUCK THAT, ITS JUST A FUCKING MOVE TO MAKE MIDDLE CLASS AMERICA THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY DOING SHIT ABOUT DRUGS, WHEN IN REALITY IT HASNT DONE SHIT!!!

HAAHAHAHA THE WAR ON DRUGS IS A FUCKING JOKE, THEY COULD BE MAKING LOTS OF MONEY BY MAKING WEED LEGAL (WHICH I WOULDNT BUY PERSONALLY, I WOULD JUST GROW MY OWN DRO)..WATEVER THOUGH, IF SHIT HAPPENS GROW YOUR OWN SHROOMS AND WEED, MANUFACTURE YOUR OWN GOD DAMN DRUGS, THE WAR ON DRUGS IS SOME STUPID SHIT

ASHCROFT SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE ASSASINATED, HES SUCH AN IGNORANT FUCKING PEICE OF SHIT, IF I EVER RUN INTO THAT GUY IM GONNA FUCKING SLICE HIS THROAT, TALKING SHIT ABOUT DRUGS AND SAYING ABORTION IS BAD AND ALL THIS BULLSHIT, FUCK ASHCROFT, I HATE THIS GUY MORE THAN BUSH

Re: anti-marijuana ads

Originally posted by Æ°

 

This is no coincidence that this shit is being blasted into our heads at this point in time. I think a certain group of people realize that drugs might provide that open mindedness that will allow people to see what's going on with the US, and world domination is the real goal here. I don't think people would need drugs to see this but maybe it'll help for some of the dolts out there.

 

EXACTLY, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO KEEP MIDDLE CLASS AMERICA SOBER AND AIMLESS, SO THEY WONT REALIZE HOW FUCKED UP SHIT IS, THATS BEEN A KNOWN FACT (unknown to the middle america, who thinks that the governments actually trying to help them, when in reality they are being restrained ahaha stupid fucking peckerwoods)

Originally posted by SteveAustin

I say legalize it and tax the fuck out of it.

If the Canadian-American relations get any more strained,

I honestly think our government is just going to say...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38052000/jpg/_38052276_chretienap150.jpg'>

"Ok den, close you ferking border. Weed's legal up here now. Anyone want to become Canadian and not go to war?"

Don't forget the one where you will run over a small black child on a bicycle.

Actually I agree with the idea that drugs can open the mind and the targeted missions and propaganda are directed at controlling that.

The whole pot legalization thing really doesnt have to do with "Mind Expansion", Its a nice idea but its not the real problem. You need to look at it from a economical standpoint. The most expensive produce out there.. from what i know of is cherries, which sell for $17 per pound.

Thats less then a gram of herb. Now if weed is legalized do you think farmers are going to keep growing apples and oranges or switch over to pot? You may argue that since it would be growing legally it wouldnt be so expensive.. but i.e. you can look at beer,legal but still more expensive then a can of pepsi.

Obviously, there are bigger issues involved here ..this just so happens to be one that needs to be addressed.

Those new commercials are pretty fucked up though.

leeeeeeeeeeeegalize iiiiit!

and by it i mean marijuana.

you have to remember, having some zero tolerance anti drug stance is a damn easy way to get elected, cause middle class white christian republicans are stupid.

Originally posted by SteveAustin

legalize it and tax the fuck out of it.

Decriminalize it and encourage rehab, Legalization is taking it too far. It's obvious that it's not good for you but it's not as bad as harder drugs and people are going to use so let them use, if they get caught they pay a fine and have to go to classes.

Re: anti-marijuana ads

Originally posted by Æ°

I am fucking serious here...

 

The new anti-marijuana radio ad campaign is, "Smoke pot, get AIDS."

 

I heard this shit earlier this week. Some girl saying she had unprotected sex because she was high, and then got AIDS.

 

Then there's the one about a girl getting raped because she got high with some guy.

 

Then there's the good ol, "Smoke pot, get pregnant" ad that was on during the super bowl.

 

And then the supporting the terrorists by smoking pot deal...

 

This is no coincidence that this shit is being blasted into our heads at this point in time. I think a certain group of people realize that drugs might provide that open mindedness that will allow people to see what's going on with the US, and world domination is the real goal here. I don't think people would need drugs to see this but maybe it'll help for some of the dolts out there.

 

Just a thought I had while I shat earlier today.

the really funny thing is they'll have a "weed causes car cashes ad"then in the 5 seconds they'll have a budwiser promotion..lol..........iam gald i live in canada.....i picked up a nice glass pipe the other week........man americas going to shit.................///......

Australia represent! We have lots of paraphenalia shops. Weed makes you slow any way, nowadays its like herbal smack for christ sake.

Originally posted by wiseguy

middle class white christian republicans are stupid.

oh geez....jump on the hatred bandwagon idiot.

my parents are christians who lean towards more conservitive ideas. they arent doing shit to you. my family takes in homeless people into our own fucking home and give others so much because they feel thats what they should do.we are blessed by god so we think we should share what we have. they volenteer all there time, and are really loving people.

so fuck you people who claim to be open minded, but stereotype just as much as KKK memebers.

i might be an asshole, but my parents, and others like them are good peoples.

well, coming from a guy who's father (george senior) acknowledged and willfully had cocaine sent to the u.s. from south america to fund one of his "projects," i think it's a big joke. the whole damn anti-drug campaign is a big joke. the cia sells it, the fbi and dea bust people for it and then it goes right back to the cia who sells it again....vicious cycle....

it's all true and well documented. our government is not trying to stop drugs, they encourage drug use, in a way. it leads to comaplacent citizens and it also gets the minorities sent to jail (apparently, they supposedly lower property value in affluent white neighborhoods). such bullshit.

do you know why marijuana is illegal in the u.s.? it's because of the mexcan migrant workers in texas in the early-mid 1930's-40's...they were smoking it in the fields and after they got done doing their manual labor for the white folks who essentially owned them...the white people were kind of scared because the mexicans were in good moods and seemed to be happy....for some reason, this scared the white people....

i don't understand that one bit, honestly. why should it scare people that someone is genuinly happy after smoking a little pot? why is it that they aren't scared from seeing people who are obnoxious as fuck at a football game and who are also drinking beer? how many fights have you ever seena pothead get into? and drunks? how is it that america has sunk to this level where we persecute people who are smoking up?

i really don't know, this isn't meant to be a rant on this shit or anything, but things like that bug the fuck out of me. i've used alot of drugs in my life, but marijuana is the most harmless thing i think i've ever put into my body. it's the only thing i stuck by for quite some time when i wasn't using anything else. it help me quit everything else. i haven't smoked in quite awhile, by choice. i'll smoke up again one day. it's not really about smoking pot, that's not the reason i quit, smoking too much was the reason. the only downside to it is that it makes your ambitions kind of slip your mind for the time being.

just wanted to give my input on this shit.

I always thought head shops were something to do with psychaitrists. Apparently not. What are they?

they sell pot smoking paraphenalia...bongs, glass pipes, papers, posters of jerry garcia...beads, hemp clothing...etc, etc...

Ohhh... we usually call them hemp stores

ignorant white politicians piss the fuck out of me so much, the best thing that could happen in the world is for them to all die, i hope bin laden has some terrorist shit up his sleeve where dubya, ashcroft, all them mother fuckers get smoked (no pun intended)

Oh great... another thread about how awful the war on drugs is.

You wouldn't give two craps about it if you didn't love to get high.

http://www.metal-reviews.com/images/bands/i_n/reroute.jpg'>

I will rise.

Originally posted by El Mamerro

Oh great... another thread about how awful the war on drugs is.

 

You wouldn't give two craps about it if you didn't love to get high.

Bullshit. I don't wear peace shirts either but I care about the outcome of the case. I care about a lot of things that while they may not directly effect me have an affect on civil liberties and human rights.

If that's the case, how come theres almost no threads about death penalty/abortion/cloning/affirmative action/intellectual property/etc., but there's like 3 dozen threads about the war on drugs?

I'm not singling you out specifically or doubting your good intentions, it just annoys me that most of the time people are quick to jump on the "No to the War on Drugs" stance and quote all sorts of statistics about taxes and and arrest ratios, or how hemp is the greatest fucking material in the universe... But in all truth, the only reason they want lax laws on drugs is to get high without having to worry about it. Beer,

El Mamerro

*Edit: Yes, I am aware that there are some threads on the topics I mentioned, but they're still nowhere near as numerous as the war on drugs threads.

war on drugs?

I think I should surrender.

really. take me prisoner!

Originally posted by casekonly

why is it that they aren't scared from seeing people who are obnoxious as fuck at a football game and who are also drinking beer?

...it has a lot to do with religion. Saw this one show that broke it down. Liquor is a main staple in the Christian religion, look at Jesus. He created "wine" from water, not weed. It got really deep, answered a lot of question's I always had on the subject. The europeans were use to liquor as a main part in religion and are too close minded to accept other drugs into the culture. But yeah, religion has a big impact on what we do, oh well.

damned robots....must kill......