Illegal Drugs - a ceaseless domestic war

When it comes to illegal drugs, at first I'm pulled in different directions. On the anti-drug side, I'm against drug abuse and I wouldn't want anyone to live such a desperate and deteriorating lifestyle as I see exhibited by so many drug users. There is no doubt that tragedy surrounds an addiction to drugs.

On the side of reality, it's easy to see that our country is well focused on drugs, and has been for generations. From drug companies to drug stores to a wide range of pills, potions, elixirs and other unnatural things that we're glad to have.

Just think of the things that we eagerly apply, ingest, absorb and insert into our bodies to have a particular outcome for us. The corner drug store, multiple shops at the mall, and all of the "big box" stores are filled with countless varieties of things that we put in and on ourselves to fix a condition that we're not happy with.

Even our government shows how well drugs are entrenched in our society. We have DEA to keep tabs on the illegal drugs, while all the rest of the drugs are taken care of by the same people who "mind the store" with respect to our food - the FDA.

And on the side of logic and reason, I have to ask questions about why some drugs are intrinsically bad while others are not, and who made that decision - certainly not the drug users. It's also necessary to revisit the whole idea of demand, and why we're so set on outlawing something that is in such high demand.

Let's also look at the cause and effect relationships between our attempts to eliminate illegal drugs through our war on drugs, and how that affects individuals involved in the drug arena - users, manufacturers, suppliers, law enforcement and tax payers.

Lastly, it wouldn't be fair to look at this whole issue in a vacuum. It's not like we don't have experience already with drug abatement programs like Prohibition. And, there are lots of parallels that can be drawn with other substances like over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, alcohol and tobacco.

When I look at the entire picture, despite my bias against drugs, I have to support the idea that illegal drugs aren't the real problem - it's how we've handled the whole issue of drug use. Therefore, I support efforts to legalize marijuana and other substances recognized as illegal drugs. Here is my reasoning:

1. There isn't much of a difference between alcohol and illegal drugs except the idea that one is legal and the other isn't. Both enjoy social acceptance and social ridicule, and both can ruin the lives of those who voluntarily use the substances.

2. Our war on drugs is an utter failure, costing countless lives and billions of dollars, with no real positive effect.

3. The government has no business telling me or others what they can or can't use as a drug. There are any number of cases where the government has tested and approved deadly drugs for doctors to dispense - all at the behest of drug companies that have a vested interest in government approval.

4. Much of the property crime and the overwhelming majority of gun-related deaths in this country are associated with trade and use of illegal drugs. Legalizing the substances that people are fighting over will put it in the hands of the free market and it will become a much lower cost commodity like liquor that isn't worth dieing for.

5. Money from illegal drugs funds organized crime just as alcohol did during Prohibition. If we legalized drugs, then criminal enterprises would become part of the open marketplace.

6. With the elimination of the black market for drugs, taxes could be levied on the product to enhance government revenues on a voluntary basis, much like alcohol. Product purity and consistency could also verified and that would help eliminate health issues associated with overdoses and contamination.

7. The demand for illegal drugs will never cease. Similar to prostitution and gambling, there is a demand for illegal drugs that will be satisfied by some sector of the marketplace. It's within our power to decide whether that's going to be part of the free and open market or remain a portion of the black market.

I encourage you to look at some of these issues to see how we're really shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to drug enforcement.

If you're offended by the idea that drugs might become legally available to the general public, I can understand that. If you think we'll experience some sort of meltdown of society, then I think you're over-estimating how well we've "controlled" these substances.

I think it's time to stop wasting lives and treasure on a program that has failed and will never succeed. The only way to stop the flow of drugs is to stop the demand, and that is a personal choice.

As a Libertarian, I believe in personal choice right along with individual responsibility. Our laws against drugs aren't working and no amount of manpower is going to stop the natural demand people have for getting their "kicks."

It's time to stop pitting the police against people that would like to indulge in the drug of their choice, not just the ones available on the shelves in the liquor store.

Law enforcement resources are put to better use when directed at intrinsically evil activities like rape, robbery, murder and theft. Let's recognize the use of illegal drugs for what it is - a personal choice and not a crime.

Done with Illegal Drugs, take me back Home