The War on Drugs is STUPID.

[baker6621]

I really think that the U.S. Gov't is doing stupid things. They waste so much money on drug campaigns and shit and use subjective facts to try to steer kids away from drugs. I really think the only way of making sure someone doesn't do a drug is for a FRIEND or someone in person telling him about an experience. Basically, one of my good friends from a foriegn country talked to me about Cocaine and I know I will never, ever try it because I remember looking into his eyes when he spoke about it. It was crazy. And also, even though this issue has been talked to death, Marijuana should be legalized no matter what. It's not dangerous, it's easily-taxable and hell, for all we know, the Gov't could be keeping it illegal for its own profit - other than taxes, where the fuck do we get all this money from?

I just think that "Truth" and "Dare" is so stupid. If anything, it makes you wanna try drugs. What about that stupid "you could be helping terrorists commercial"? Hah, if thats true, then everytime you go to the gas station to pump up, your helping terrorists. Scaring people is a way of manipulation (look at religion for example, even though I personally do believe) and thats what the gov't tries to do. Yes, there are many horrible drugs, but MJ is not one of them. If anything, cigs & alcohol should be banned from society. That's just my 2 cents. Maybe this is a fresh perspective, coming from someone in high school...

 

[baker6621]

And if you read this and your like "What the fuck"? then read what forum this is. FREE YOUR MIND!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

for all we know, the Gov't could be keeping it illegal for its own profit - other than taxes, where the fuck do we get all this money from?

Could you explain this statement?

 

[kobayashi]

this is certainly an interesting topic.

but as written here it comes across as jibberish.

 

[BAW]

I really think the only way of making sure someone doesn't do a drug is for a FRIEND or someone in person telling him about an experience. Basically, one of my good friends from a foriegn country talked to me about Cocaine and I know I will never, ever try it because I remember looking into his eyes when he spoke about it.

We're all entitled to our opinions but are you trying to say that drug abuse can be avoided by someone telling another person about their own drug experience? If this worked, I wouldn't be watching someone I love very much waste away mentally and physically because of drug abuse. And yes, many people have told her of their bad experiences with drugs and she went ahead and plunged right into major addiction. I wish it was only that simple.

 

[baker6621]

Re: Re: The War on Drugs is STUPID.

Could you explain this statement?

The Gov't probably gets a lot of money for good (high THC levels) of Marijuana they sell. It might seem far-fetched but it would be a huge $$$ business for em'. They don't care about anything. Just $.

 

[baker6621]

Re: Re: The War on Drugs is STUPID.

We're all entitled to our opinions but are you trying to say that drug abuse can be avoided by someone telling another person about their own drug experience? If this worked, I wouldn't be watching someone I love very much waste away mentally and physically because of drug abuse. And yes, many people have told her of their bad experiences with drugs and she went ahead and plunged right into major addiction. I wish it was only that simple.

I agree. But hey, its much better than DARE. DARE is a joke, if anything it made me WANT to do Marijuana or something else. It was the stupidest, most pointless thing ever. As I grew older, I realized that they were just manipulating us by scaring us. Since we were 10-12 years old, we had no idea.

 

[misterboo]

In my opinion, the war on drugs has been an utter farce, the problem is only getting worse and we are completely failing to do anything about it. The radical solution is the only option available: to legalise all drugs. What this will mean is not that the state or medical authorities will encourage drug taking, but that the state will regulate it, allowing, for example, heroin addicts to be weaned away from the drug in a safe and properly monitored way. At the moment there are plenty of people who are hooked on drugs and utterly dependent on them and to the suppliers who deal them. If the state or medical authorities (in the UK's case, for example were able to wean people off them in the right way, it would guarantee at least that people were not going to be injecting themselves with dangerous cocktails of drugs which they have no idea where they come from or their quality. We can't stop people taking drugs. We can discourage them of course, and discourage them as best we can. Drugs are bad news, whether you're talking about alcohol, dope or the harder stuff. But there will always be those who take drugs, and what we have to do is make sure that addicts aren't constantly fuelling the drugs trade (and god knows what else drugs money goes into) or injecting themselves with things that can kill them

 

[Citric]

If marijuana is legal, the demand for more potent drugs will be increased. That causes major problems: more deaths, more money spent on expensive 'stronger' drugs, and more people experimenting.

For example, many people don't try marijuana because it's illegal. If you were found with it in my school, you'd get expelled. Most people don't want to take that risk, and so, they don't even bother trying it. If it was legal, don't you think more people would try marijuana? The more people who try marijuana experience the 'high.' Why do druggies go from taking marijuana on to taking cocaine? To better the high. I think that if marijuana was legalized, more people would try it. And then, more people would try more potent drugs. That essentially means that the demand would be up, along with many other negative aspects.

Of course, this could be debated all you'd like. There's no telling what could happen if MJ wasn't illegal anymore.

The DARE program was absolutely horrible.

 

[Lemonite]

And if you read this and your like "What the fuck"? then read what forum this is. FREE YOUR MIND!!!!!!!!!!!

Hahaha.. You have just negated all integrity in your statements.. by acknowledging it as a radical and reeking philosophical dump into our beautiful Forum. I find it very intriguing that people feel the need to justify themselves on things that they feel so strongly about.. (Beyond your little statement Baker)

I only rip you to maybe get you to edit the above mentioned post.. There's no need for it Baker.

L.Unplugged

 

[z edge]

then everytime you go to the gas station to pump up, your helping terrorists.

The United States buys oil from Al Queda???

Really, our percentages of oil from Saudi and Iraq are relatively small. However, I take your point to heart as I would like to see us figure out a way to cut them off permanently

 

[baker6621]

Hahaha.. You have just negated all integrity in your statements.. by acknowledging it as a radical and reeking philosophical dump into our beautiful Forum. I find it very intriguing that people feel the need to justify themselves on things that they feel so strongly about.. (Beyond your little statement Baker)

I only rip you to maybe get you to edit the above mentioned post.. There's no need for it Baker.

L.Unplugged

Um, idiot, no. You'r wrong. I don't think it's a radical statement, its what millions of people believe. Beautiful forum? Ah, the last word I think about this forum is beautiful. Normally, I think the word SHIT FORUM comes to mind because most of you are controlled by the media and have the most biased views in the world (ex. saying stuff about 3rd world countries but you've never left america - oh, except for the vacation under the sun haha) and thats why I don't like this forum. I find it intriguing that people think so much of themselves that they can judge others. There's no need for, Lemonite.

 

[doctorwho]

Um, idiot, no. You'r wrong. I don't think it's a radical statement, its what millions of people believe. Beautiful forum? Ah, the last word I think about this forum is beautiful. Normally, I think the word SHIT FORUM comes to mind because most of you are controlled by the media and have the most biased views in the world (ex. saying stuff about 3rd world countries but you've never left america - oh, except for the vacation under the sun haha) and thats why I don't like this forum. I find it intriguing that people think so much of themselves that they can judge others. There's no need for, Lemonite.

Now, now... calm down Baker.

Lemonite was rather crass in his words, but his ultimate point was valid. What you wrote in your first post was strong enough to stand on its own. You did not need to write the second post in an attempt to validate your words. We all know this is the "Free Your Mind" forum where we are at liberty to express the thoughts you did. If anyone attacked you in this forum for not discussing U2, then they in turn would be attacked themselves.

Also, please don't presume anything about people. Some of us have visited 2nd and 3rd world countries. If you make assumptions, we could ask the same of you. Have you been to these third world countries? If so, share your experiences with us as they will help everyone understand your views. But if not, then please don't criticize others for they are basing their opinions on what they've read much the same way that you are.

 

[kobayashi]

Normally, I think the word SHIT FORUM comes to mind because most of you are controlled by the media and have the most biased views in the world (ex. saying stuff about 3rd world countries but you've never left america - oh, except for the vacation under the sun haha) and thats why I don't like this forum.

:attn: watch yourself baker:attn:

there are some very intelligent people in this forum and though i think we could have a very interesting discussion about the influence of media(of course another time) this place is largely free of that. an interesting discussion was developing and it doesn't need to degenerate

 

[baker6621]

Now, now... calm down Baker.

Lemonite was rather crass in his words, but his ultimate point was valid. What you wrote in your first post was strong enough to stand on its own. You did not need to write the second post in an attempt to validate your words. We all know this is the "Free Your Mind" forum where we are at liberty to express the thoughts you did. If anyone attacked you in this forum for not discussing U2, then they in turn would be attacked themselves.

Also, please don't presume anything about people. Some of us have visited 2nd and 3rd world countries. If you make assumptions, we could ask the same of you. Have you been to these third world countries? If so, share your experiences with us as they will help everyone understand your views. But if not, then please don't criticize others for they are basing their opinions on what they've read much the same way that you are.

Shoot me cuz I replied to my own post.

But seriously, I'm not presuming. These ppl have admitted to not even visiting countries but still talk like they have. Yes, I have to answer your question, I was born in one. I would never bee such a jackass to talk crap about a country (just cuz the media) and never being outside of the US.

 

[BAW]

Okay, I'm going to try and word this without sounding like I'm jumping all over you Baker. Your first post was sufficient and would have been enough to initiate intelligent discussion from the various points of view represented in this forum.

BUT...your second post sounded like a challenge and was really unnecessary so don't get pissed off because someone took you up on it. Calling this a shit forum and questiong the ability of the members to think for themselves is not the best way to keep the discussion going.

What life experience are you basing these very strong opinions on? I'm just curious because you stated you are a high school student and I'm wondering how at such a young age you have come to these conclusions. I do agree with you that the DARE program is not working and with some of your opinions on marijuana but I don't think legalizing drugs will solve anything here. I don't know if DARE was meant to manipulate kids and I'm sure in the beginning the organizers were sincere but its kind of lost its original purpose. My kids got nothing out of it and only liked it because they got out class for a while every week.

 

[U2Bama]

So I can no longer criticize atrocities in other countries if I have not been to those contries personally? So much for "Free Your Mind;" so much for organizations like Amnesty International. Oh well.

~U2Alabama

 

[baker6621]

So I can no longer criticize atrocities in other countries if I have not been to those contries personally? So much for "Free Your Mind;" so much for organizations like Amnesty International. Oh well.

~U2Alabama

Oh well.

Re-read my post.

I said there are plent of people that talk crap about 3rd world countries but they themselves have never been to any of them.

Yea, "Free Your Mind". Am I not letting you do this?

 

[U2Bama]

Have you ever been to Lowndes County, Alabama?

 

[bonoman]

You know Baker i agree with many of the things you say but the way you are presenting them is not going to get a disscusion going.

Legalizing MJ is not the right option. Legalizing any drug is not the right option. Drugs will forever be in this world. Everyone plese accept this.

MJ really isnt the most harmful thing in the world. It is harmful. It doesnt kill you and you cant overdose. Smokes kill you and we dont see thread about getting rid of ciggeratees weekly.

Plain and simply i think MJ should be de-criminalized. For those who dont understand the difference it is this; If we were to DC(de-criminalize) MJ we could then clear the courts of petty MJ charges. If, say, 8 grams was the legal limit then we could then fine people for having under that ammount.

Now heres a situation; Your 16, work a part-time job, go to HIgh school and live at home. You are caught by the cops with 3 grams of weed, a reletivly small amount. Your not selling it or anything like that, your own supply. Now the cops have busted you. They now seeing that your a minor turn you over to your parents. I can tell you from expereince nobody wants their parents to know. They also hand you a $250 fine. Now that will take you two weeks to pay off, your parents know that you smoke pot and can intervine and you get put on a record so if your caught again you get a higher fine.

Now what is worse getting a slap on the wrist or the latter.

Also how could you buy anymore weed if you have to pay the gov't. The cops can also take the suffecient time needed to go after the dealers and suppliers.

For the record i do smoke weed once a month. I dont think its anymore harmful then say alchol.

 

[Popmartijn]

If marijuana is legal, the demand for more potent drugs will be increased. That causes major problems: more deaths, more money spent on expensive 'stronger' drugs, and more people experimenting.

That is not (necessarily) the case. Here in the Netherlands marijuana is de-criminalised a lot. There are even so-called 'coffee-shops' where you can buy marijuana without having to go to a dealer (don't ask me why they are called coffee-shops as I don't suspect they have a wide variety of coffee). But there are not many drug-addicts in the Netherlands, in fact IIRC the Netherlands have one of the lowest numbers in drug-addicts (including those addicted to marijuana). For many, the 'high'-experience of marijuana satisfies all their desires for something stronger than cigarettes. So your reasoning is not a probable scenario.

In essence, the Netherlands has decriminalised the use of drugs (for one's own consumption). It also has a different view on drug (ab)use, seeing it as a medical problem rather than a criminal problem. This allows the police to go after the dealers and not the users. Furthermore, the Netherlands make a distinction between hard drugs (heroine, cocaine, etc.) and soft drugs (marijuana, cannabis). Coffee-shops are allowed to sell soft drugs (albeit under strict conditions) but not hard drugs. This creates a division to prevent people to go to a dealer who, besides the soft drugs, also deals in cocaine, heroine and the like. So those who would like to smoke a joint in the weekend do not come in contact with somebody who tries to entice them in using highly addictive substances.

For example, many people don't try marijuana because it's illegal. If you were found with it in my school, you'd get expelled. Most people don't want to take that risk, and so, they don't even bother trying it. If it was legal, don't you think more people would try marijuana? The more people who try marijuana experience the 'high.' Why do druggies go from taking marijuana on to taking cocaine? To better the high. I think that if marijuana was legalized, more people would try it. And then, more people would try more potent drugs. That essentially means that the demand would be up, along with many other negative aspects.

On the other hand, there are also many who want to try someting because it is illegal. As I said, soft drugs are semi-legal here in the Netherlands, yet I (and many others) have never found the need to try it.

Of course, this could be debated all you'd like. There's no telling what could happen if MJ wasn't illegal anymore.

Still, the Dutch numbers give a good indication what the situation will be when marijuana would be legalised. And those numbers do not suggest the doom scenario you are afraid of.

C ya!

Marty

 

[Lemonite]

Have you ever been to Lowndes County, Alabama?

Hahaha.. That's the funniest thing I've heard this week.. Thank you for allowing me to indulge myself in my weekly soiling of my "drawers" yo.

L.Unplugged

 

[Lilly]

I really think that the U.S. Gov't is doing stupid things.

file this under 'the century, understatement of'

 

[KevM]

The war on drugs is doomed ... the better the gov is at stopping drug trade the higher drug prices go (supply and demand) so the war on drugs helps drug dealers get more $$$ and makes drug trade more attractive to ppl who are willing to take the risks.

 

[Lemonite]

The war on drugs is doomed ... the better the gov is at stopping drug trade the higher drug prices go (supply and demand) so the war on drugs helps drug dealers get more $$$ and makes drug trade more attractive to ppl who are willing to take the risks.

Inherently faulty logic.. Less Drugs sold.. equals Prices Raised to counteract the smaller number of drugs being sold.. More money Per Drug unit sold perhaps..

Just call me Mr. Logic; Purveyor of the White Muslims.

L.Unplugged

 

[Citric]

Martijn-

I admit, I did not know much of that before you posted. Thanks for the information... I think there is a different between 'decriminalising' and 'making it legal' however. You've managed to sway my opinion from 'drugs bad, drugs stay illegal' to 'drugs bad, drugs decriminalised.' I can't really disagree with anything you said in that post. I'm just guessing and theorizing about what would happen in the United States, while you're giving me hard facts about the Netherlands.

I still believe that marijuana should not be 'legal', as baker is proposing. I'm mainly disagreeing with his point. But martjin, really, thanks for the (educational) insight about the Netherlands.

 

[notiti]

If marijuana is legal, the demand for more potent drugs will be increased. That causes major problems: more deaths, more money spent on expensive 'stronger' drugs, and more people experimenting.

Actually... In Amsetrdam after Marijuana was legalized there was a notable decrease in the demand for more potent drugs. See it's like this, if you let people smoke pot then all they are going to do is eat pizza and sit in front of their tv's. The drive to get out and actually find other drugs becomes rather muted.
In reponse to the 'goverment making money' off Marijuana statement, there is actually a small bit of truth to that, but it is more like the drug war makes money off it. See if Marijuana was reduced from a Schedual 3 drug to a schedual 1 drug then about a third of the people who are using schedual three drugs drops off, and the goverment can then no longer justify spending the same ammount of money that they have been on the drug war.
And in response to the DARE is crap comment, I agree whole heartedly. DARE actually made me want to do drugs. By the time that they were tyring to scare me off drugs I was smart enought to know that if these drugs were really as dangerous as they were being portrayed and people were still doin em, then they must be pretty damn fun. Also, and more importantly my dare officer, Officer Mike cheated at kick ball. I knew if that fool was cheating at four square against a bunch of fifth graders then he was not to be trusted. OK, that's my rant...

 

[doctorwho]

Shoot me cuz I replied to my own post.

*shoots Baker.



Oh, and I'm not shooting you for replying to your own post. It's because you did NEED to reply to your own post. The first post was brilliant all on its own.


*shoots Baker again, but this time, just for fun.

But seriously, I'm not presuming. These ppl have admitted to not even visiting countries but still talk like they have. Yes, I have to answer your question, I was born in one. I would never bee such a jackass to talk crap about a country (just cuz the media) and never being outside of the US.

I think this is great! If you really want to strengthen your argument, then discuss what you saw in these countries. I think we could all use some education.

Anyway, Baker, your posts suggest you sure are stressed lately. Here, relax a little.

Oopsy, underage internet drinking. Hope no one minds.





*EDIT

What gives? I put in some smileys, which showed up great in the preview. But when I posted, all I got was a "hosted by Tripod" image. AAAH! Can this be fixed?

 

[TheU2]

Inherently faulty logic.. Less Drugs sold.. equals Prices Raised to counteract the smaller number of drugs being sold.. More money Per Drug unit sold perhaps..

Just call me Mr. Logic; Purveyor of the White Muslims.

L.Unplugged

I have friends in banking.

You want a job?

CK

PS Go Irish!

 

[TheU2]

Inherently faulty logic..

Inherently because Baker is young or because he is stupid?

CK