UK- Guardian - Our 'war on drugs' has been an abysmal failure. Just look at Mexico

[edgarshade]

Simon Jenkins
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 9 September 2010 20.30 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/sep/09/war-on-drugs-legalisation

"It is wrecking the government of Mexico. It is financing the Taliban in Afghanistan. It is throwing 11,000 Britons into jail. It is corrupting democracy throughout Latin America. It is devastating the ghettoes of America and propagating Aids in urban Europe. Its turnover is some £200bn a year, on which it pays not a penny of tax. Thousands round the world die of it and millions are impoverished. It is the biggest man-made blight on the face of the earth.

No, it is not drugs. They are as old as humanity. Drugs will always be a challenge to individual and communal discipline, alongside alcohol and nicotine. The curse is different: the declaration by states that some drugs are illegal and that those who supply and use them are criminals. This is the root of the evil."

 

[stevein7]

Its all about capitalism.
Capitalism is in crisis, it does not work, Marx proved it years ago. It has lasted due to two world wars and now needs a third.
Like the article says, drug money is propping up the system, its as big as arms and oil.
but it is also destroying the system.
Its a balance of forces, there is no easy anmswer, the capitalist class will decide if on the whole illegality of drugs serves their purpose or not. At the moment it seems finely balanced.

The only possible alternative is that the working class destroys capitalism and cleans out the muck.

 

[bud.lightyear]

wow thanks for that post. easily one of the best articles i've read in a while. take the time to read it folks, rockin!

 

[pseudononamouse]

It is wrecking the government of Mexico. It is financing the Taliban in Afghanistan. It is throwing 11,000 Britons into jail. It is corrupting democracy throughout Latin America. It is devastating the ghettoes of America and propagating Aids in urban Europe. Its turnover is some £200bn a year, on which it pays not a penny of tax. Thousands round the world die of it and millions are impoverished. It is the biggest man-made blight on the face of the earth.

Powerful in its brevity.