There's one fact that is not in dispute anywhere. The drug war has failed. Miserably. Not just in the U.S. Everywhere. Illegal drugs are expensive, but profitable.
Drug War Scandal by Michael Clutton ~ Nov 2008
There's one fact that is not in dispute anywhere. The drug war has failed. Miserably. Not just in the U.S. Everywhere.
The violence in Mexico, Colombia and elsewhere escalates almost daily. However, the disputed issue in the Drug War Scandal is actually about the cause of the war. And it's not American drug usage but in fact, the war on drugs itself. To be more specific, the war on drugs is really about money. That's the scandal. That's the primary value in killing.
Illegal drugs are expensive, but profitable.
The more the "bad guys" have to work to evade the war on drugs, the more they have to charge to improve their profits. That means more dollars changing hands and the more dollars - the more killing.
The more the "drug users" have to pay to get their fix, the more they are likely to do extreme things to get that money. Con, steal and swindle - yes. Kill? More and more - yes.
History shows the counterproductive results of attempting to "ban" a high-demand product. Prohibition only increased crime as gangs were formed and shots were fired. Sound familiar? So, officials eventually relented and we have lived with regulation and taxation ever since.
Are there problems inherent with alcohol? Of course. Are there abuses, addiction and even crime associated with it? Of course. Human nature being what it is, we will never escape the need for things that are technically bad for us. But we have survived alcohol as a society for countless years. And we've never had to see daily headlines about the war on alcohol or the billions of dollars spent fighting it or the lives lost in the pointless war. It exists as a regulated commodity with its dark fringe of problems. Yet, it does not consume international attention and financial resources.
Then there's tobacco. Same health concerns, addictions and death. No war on smokes. It is what it is. Something some humans want and will do anything to get. Fortunately, in its present state of regulation and taxation, we're not forcing anyone to kill for a light up.
And then, there are those products most people don't even discuss. What about caffeine? Anyone can buy coffee or tea. No age minimums. No war on Starbucks or Duncan Donuts. Yet, caffeine is both addictive and unhealthy. But, no prohibition.
So, when is the futility of the war on drugs to be realized? It is indeed a scandal perpetrated against the general population. Politicians who encourage this deadly endeavor have the support of the pharmaceutical industry, which wants no competition. And law enforcement faces severe funding cuts if there were no war on drugs to fight.
Let's ignore how many officers die as a result.
In the meantime, rational thinking people understand that legalized, regulated drug sales will never be approved. We also realize that the war will never be won and the costs will continue to grow. And who pays for the war on drugs? We do. Joe citizen. Average guy on the street. Fear, crime, death, skyrocketing government spending.
