Now, the United States, which has waged a 40-year, $1 trillion war on drugs, is looking for answers in tiny Portugal, which is reaping the benefits of what once looked like a dangerous gamble. White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske visited Portugal in September to learn about its drug reforms, and other countries - including Norway, Denmark, Australia and Peru - have taken interest, too.
"The disasters that were predicted by critics didn't happen," said University of Kent professor Alex Stevens, who has studied Portugal's program. "The answer was simple: Provide treatment."
Given that the Fed.Gov is broke, and that we're spending more than $70B a year is this clearly failing "War On Drugs", maybe we should look at a Plan B.
It would be bad enough if it was just the $70 billion at stake.
ReplyDeleteThe war on some drugs has cost much more than money.
Decriminalize gun ownership, gun related crimes go down.
ReplyDeleteDecriminalize drugs, drug related crimes go down.
Why, I do believe I see a pattern here.
WV - siola - They don't know s#*$ from siola
Far Out, Man!
ReplyDeleteNever happen. There are far too many police agencies, government institutions, and companies making money from the drug war.
ReplyDeleteBig money got a mighty voice. Big money make no sound.
This subject has always interested me. One thing that makes me curious is the shift of resources from the justice system to the healthcare system. I wonder two things: Is it a one for one swap as far as cost, or is one system more expensive than the other? The article was a little vague on that.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder how hard it would be to pry the cash away from the war on drugs folks. That flashbang swat team mindset seems pretty entrenched.
Legalize the 'raw' stuff -
ReplyDeleteat a minimum, you can KEEP what you grow.
Step it up to allow sales and some revenuing for personal use of
- bulk hemp, or just the flowers or leaves
- dried shrooms
- coca leaf to chew / make tea.
- opium resin for whatevah
Hammer down the synthetics
Merlin,
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike. I couldn't agree more. TheOne has just GOT to stop appointing f*ck-nuggets like Andrew Traver to head ATF, as well as highly anti-2a judges like Sotomayor, Kagan, et. al., and start appointing folk who follow the constitution as it is written. The Constitution, you say? That old, arcane thing that's a "limit" on what fed.gov can do? That thing written by a bunch of freedom-loving white-haired Christian men of european extraction? Yeah, that thing. Sheesh.