War On Drugs

Now that we have a Democrat taking over 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and Democrats controlling Congress, can we look at a serious budget cut? I'm of course talking about the bullshit "war on drugs". So far this year our governments (federal and state) have spent close to $44 billion on this never ending war. It's like the "war on terror" in the sense that it is a war that can not be won.

A good starting point would be to go ahead and legalize marijuana. Marijuana is healthier than cigarettes and with our dying economy, could provide a big boost in the way of manufacturing and taxing. We need to face that fact that doing drugs doesn't make someone a loser in life. If you think so, then here is a nice list of people who have used drugs in the past and still went on to greatness, including our new President.

Let's also think about the savings of incarcerating people for drug use. If people weren't locked up for smokin' a doob, then we wouldn't spend tens of thousands per year to house them in prison, just so they go out there and do it again.

America has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. We also have the some of the toughest drug laws in the world. Coincidence? I don't think so. So please President Obama, Majority Leader Reid and Speak Pelosi, let's start looking at this huge sinker tied around the neck of the American tax payer and rid ourselves of it once and for all. If we learned anything from prohibition it's that it didn't work.

Talk about hitting the nail on the head:

On January 20th 2009, either the president of the United States will be a man who used to snort coke to ease his blues, or the First Lady will be a former drug addict who stole from charity to get her next fix. In this presidential campaign, there are dozens of issues that have failed to flicker into the debate, but the most striking is the failing, flailing 'War on Drugs.' Isn't it a sign of how unwinnable this 'war' is that, if it was actually enforced evenly, either Barack Obama or Cindy McCain would have to skip the inauguration -- because they'd be in jail?

At least their time in the slammer would feature some familiar faces: they could share a cell with Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and some 46 percent of the US population.

(h/t Sullivan)

There is one major distinction between Obama and Cindy's drug use that needs to be made. Obama's, as with a majority of experimental/recreational drug uses, was a victimless crime. Cindy's wasn't.

I really think the so-called "war on drugs" is an issue that needs to be talked about more by the candidates. Specifically what I would like to hear is that we are ending this faux war and using the money for better things. How about health care, or reinvesting it into social services that might help prevent people from turning to drugs? You will never put a 100% end to drug use (see prohibition), but let's prioritize better. This "war on drugs" has been going on for over two decades and done nothing but drain money from our government.

Now after all this talk of drugs, I really need to burn a fatty.

John McCain is talking about bringing back the old "Just Say No" program:

John McCain went back to the future last night suggesting that an old anti-drug program should be revived to stem demand for illegal drugs.

"We're creating a demand here in the United States. We all know that," McCain said at a town hall meeting in Waco.

"Now maybe we ought to go back to - remember when Nancy Reagan used to have a program called ‘Just Say No' and it had some effect?"

Glad to see McCain is thinking up new and innovative ideas.

And all other drugs for that matter.

With the debate over gun control front and center again, we are constantly hearing that we can not ban guns because so many would be here illegally. Well isn't that the same thing that happens with drugs? Why are we wasting billions of dollars fighting a loss cause?

After you answer those questions then answer this one - how many people die from pot as compared to guns?

Since our economy is doing so well then it would be an appropriate time to really waste some of that great surplus

Fairfax County is taking part in an unusual White House drug study.

Wastewater from communities throughout the Potomac River Basin is being tested for the urinary byproducts of cocaine.

"Apparently, they're able to ascertain how many people may be using illicit drugs, in this case cocaine, with such studies," Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly tells WTOP.

 Earlier this month, county workers collected five days worth of water samples at the pollution control plant in Lorton. The samples were sent to a lab in Rockville, Md., to be analyzed for the traces of the main urinary byproduct of cocaine.

So we don't need to worry about pesty little things like re-building the gulf coast or an exit strategy for Iraq. No those problems are petty. Instead our White House is worried if someone in a county might be using cocaine. Here is something to ponder - all your waste water goes into a main sewer line. There is no way they could use this to bust people so then why do it?

White House officials believe the wastewater testing will lead to a more accurate index of how many people use drugs than traditional survey research.

AHHH thats why. Our White House doesn't listen to things like "surveys" or "polls". Now they can get data in that they can manipulate in whatever fashion they want. Perhaps Bush is just looking for a new place to score.