On the economics note, the war on drugs is a HUGE drag on the economy in every way imaginable. The people who do profit off of it do so at the expense of millions of others who pay the taxes for interdiction, prosecution, and incarceration. Locking up hundreds of thousands of people, thereby preventing them from engaging in economic pursuits, is also a huge wedge. Yes, there is money in it for some, but in a strictly financial sense, society at large is much worse off.
Thank you, well put ;-P
There's sooooo much more money to be made with drugs, but during the market shifting from illegal to legal, the monetary effects would be
- more overall cash, but to even more people, and
- those currently making the most (whether the head of the DEA, or the head of the Zeta's or Gulf Cartels*) will not only make less, they'll essentially be out of a job, if the switch is managed right.
((*but that won't happen, so, zeta's/gulf/DEA, please don't send an assassin, send an application ;-P jk ))
What results in the overall best net-benefit both financially and socially?
OVERALL BEST situation (IMO, of course, but would like to hear thoughts on it) would be across-the-board decriminalization for possession, and regulation of the distribution networks (like beer/cigarettes - although given they run the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, one of a bajillion reasons this idea is only/can be theoretical :/ ). Turn jails/prisons into high-output work/production facilities (which they are now, except it'd cut out the "slave" element we have). Anyone who wants to go after drugs (DEA, ICE, police, etc) can/should become someone who works towards breaking the addictive cycle, helping treatment, etc. The same people who are in jail today, could work at those jails in my model, and use the money for treatment. The cash flows the same, well better actually, but everyone needs to 'switch roles'. Addicts are not criminals, they should be seen with pity and helped medically. People prosecuting addicts/users should realize this, and learn/use detox/maintenance/abstinence based approaches, not violence,incarceration based approaches. The overall financial, and social, benefits would surge. Of course, this would require a TON of people who're making lots of money due to the distorted black market will no longer get their share, and since they already have enough $, and no intention of stopping their supply of it, my model cannot happen. I'd say "sure, it could, but it'd be revolutionary", but I don't even see that as 'possible' in reality. Drugs are here to stay, both sides of the drug war know, embrace, and profit heavily from that fact. The only reasons they'd have to change mean little/nothing to them. This will remain quite similar to this for a long time, the only big change I can forsee is pot becoming less illegal. That's not in their interests either, not at all, but it's becoming too hard to suppress given that like 8 or 9 of 10 americans don't believe it's dangerous, and support medical usage. I wish it'd go further, but it won't. However, if pot's made legal - and no bias here, I actually haven't cared for pot in many years - it would do worlds for 'drug culture' in the US. It sucks, our children/teens are told pot's sooo bad, they see it's schedule I, but yet they've tried it. They know it's not so bad, in fact, it's fun. And they remember that big shiny display from the D.A.R.E. presentation, or their buddy has some powder, and they then make choices under a false paradigm of "can't be too different from pot". I can't recall how old I was exactly, but in retrospect, I am very upset that I had to sit through "drug education" in school, and still was completely unaware of the *chasms* between pot and, say, methamphetamine (generic example, have only seen meth once in my entire life). Once pot is accepted/decriminalized across the board, at least fresh-users won't be lumping the truly dangerous drugs in there with drugs lacking any real dangers (pot, many psychedelics, etc).
I think its time for our government to wake up and seriously consider legalization.
Sorry if this comes across wrong, but you need to wake up to the issue of drugs more :/
Trust me, they are fully awake - in this example, they're awake, well-rested, and on speed, with a team of knowledgable consultants.
And they do seriously consider legalization - it's just that it's considered as what it really is: a massive threat to their lives and the structures they support.
/you didn't think politics was about altruism did you? Drugs/trafficking/usage is as political as it is social, and while it's NOT that the politicians/cartels/alcohol lobbyists/whoever want to see the citizens hurt or suffer, it IS that they will accept that as a necessary evil to retain their positions.
