A NOVEL IDEA ON THE DRUG WAR Matt Wood

Much has been said on how to win the war on drugs. Many "solutions" have been proposed. Well, let us add another to the mile long list. Shall we?

Let me say in advance that I abhor drugs. I think they are quite possibly the most destructive thing a person can inflict upon themselves and those around them. I see very few possible benefits and a multitude of disastrous consequences. I do not see what the draw to them is, even the "mild" ones like marijuana (which I have tried once didn’t like it at all) but I must admit that there must be a reason as they are EVERYWHERE.

Everyday there is something in the news about a community or even a country that is considering legalizing marijuana under the auspices of medical necessity (for which there are strong or at least convincing arguments) or in rare cases allowing it for recreational use. To me this is simply a means of the government officials, community leaders, or general population saying, "We want legalized drugs but are too cowardly to admit that THAT is our ultimate purpose". In the same breath these same people appear to be looking for a sort of validation FROM THE GOVERNMENT that drugs have a legitimate purpose other than for (or including) getting bombed out of ones mind.

When you look at the exorbitant amount of money we have spent on the "drug war" one has to wonder how serious we are about winning it when we keep hamstringing ourselves with "this drug is ok, but that one is pure evil" moral questions.

I say enough already! Let’s legalize them all! I mean, why not? We could clear up quite a few problems along the way even with the few other problems that might pop up along the way. At the same time I also propose that we eliminate a number of costly items from our budgets that this drug war keeps gobbling dollars that could be put to better use.

"You are crazy!!!" you are probably saying. I don't think so, as I will attempt to demonstrate.

First of all, we have been calling it a war on drugs for about 20 years now. So let us make it a war where our enemies kill themselves and with the exception of some collateral damage (which happens in any war) maybe they might end the war themselves. That very well could happen as they die off one by one (or more likely thousand by thousand) from the effects of the drugs they are cramming into their bodies. These effects include overdosing, being driven psychotic and blowing ones own head off, driving into a wall, or some other interesting way of chlorinating the gene pool. I know this sounds heartless, but I am one for ENFORCING EXISTING LAWS rather than creating numerous new ones. So let us use statutes that include public intoxication, reckless endangerment, and in the most unfortunate of circumstances negligent homicide. There is no need for sub-categories, just enforce them all as they were meant to be enforced. While we are at it, this frees up jail space for the people that commit crimes that do hurt others rather than being used as a rehab clinic or public housing for those who can't seem to live without drugs (do we jail smokers?).

Secondly, let’s get rid of public assistance to these fog headed leeches on society! You got yourself into this mess, why should my tax dollars get you out? Can't feed themselves or their family because of their dependence? Can't put a roof over their heads or properly clothe the children due to needing that last "fix"? I say TOUGH!!! They say nicotine is as addictive as or more so than heroin and being a smoker I can attest to some intense cravings. Yet I manage to set aside my addiction if I am ever in a position where it is feed my kid or feed my craving. Most CIVILISED people are able to do the same. The ability to control our instincts is what separates us from the animals, which is what these genetic rejects obviously are. I am not however saying to punish the children for their parent's transgressions. We should get these kids out of that environment as soon as possible the way we already do for similar situations. I would prefer not to burden society with housing the children and feeding them because they were spawned by something that resembled a human at one time, but lacked a chromosome or two and fell into the category of "Darwin!!! Where are you???" So get these kids a home with some PARENTS and get them away from BREEDERS!

Third, since we already find it acceptable to attempt to bring about morality through taxation, now that the drugs are legal, TAX THE BEJEESUS OUT OF THEM!!! The government has already demonstrated what incredible shake down artists they are with the "sin taxes" that they already have for cigarettes and alcohol. It has already gotten to the point where, in most states, the taxes collected exceed the actual cost of the product itself. This is of course passed off as a way of discouraging undesired habits. Unfortunately it is also a crock, as it does nothing to stem the desire to indulge. All it succeeds in doing is filling the coffers of the government. Meanwhile there is a dirty little secret the government doesn't want you to know smokers and the like will NEVER get back from social security or any other program what they pay into it as they have this nasty habit of DYING before they can ever collect.

Finally, I would like to say, stop the hypocrisy! No more of this half way, gray area, it is ok sometimes LIE that we have been living with. Either something is good or it is bad. We allow some drugs, and tax them HEAVILY, and then don't allow people to do others and spend our tax dollars, again HEAVILY, on a losing drug war. I am sorry that innocents will suffer for those that choose to use chemicals to make their miserable lives worth living. I am also sorry that society at large may have to deal with a slight dip in what passes for morality in the first few years that this is instituted. I am NOT sorry however for the genetic defectives that will give their lives in this "war" when they overdose or otherwise leave this plane of existence. In my opinion it is a small price to pay to rid our civilization of the plague that drugs are.