Sad fact for the US.......Federal Money (our taxes) are used for this war on drugs.  We have wasted millions and I have been, in my career very close to working with the local PD.  They apply for the grant money, make 2 large busts a year on "medical marijuana" facilities - sitting ducks, and use the rest of the money to create specialty teams that have nothing to do with drug reduction. 

It is interesting to see in other countries that once legalized, not only does crime reduce and almost become eliminated surrounding drugs but they have found that drug use is down and the money used to "fight the war on drugs" goes to rehabbing those addicted with post detox support all the way to getting communities to hire ex-addicts.  It is sad to watch here, I was up close and personal and see the abuse of federal funds by the police depts. 

Unfortunately, the US is too proud to look at other countries that have been successfull trying other programs instead of just throwing money at it.  JMHO

Thanks for that insight Paddy. I think I read that one of the countries that has legalized drugs is Finland?? Anyway, the reports are as you state. Crime is down and the money is being used to rehab those who are already addicted. Makes you wonder what all the drug dealers are doing over there these days for spending cash?

Eye,

exactly! 

and i hope u don't mind, but i borrowed one of your phrases

to dismiss the troll by telling him/her "nothing further."
 
lol !!!

:-)

Yes, Finland is one and another fact is that the US is the #1 consumer.  The dealers from Europe are all probably working it here.  Sad fact too: my brother was in Nam for 3 tours - 1st time as special forces, 2nd and 3rd as a helicopter pilot.  He never got into it but by his own eye witness, the US gave out weed to our infantry like candy to keep them fighting.  About 70% of the homeless that I responded to were drug addicted Nam vets.  Really sad.  There was  a documentary on heroin being shipped back to the states at the time from soldier in country to soldier off loading our deceased troops here filled with blocks of heroin.  Good Lord, with Afghanistan being the poppy captial of the world....makes you wonder what is happening now. 

When we got out of Nam and the first refugees started landing here, I would respond to apartment complexes where the pools were filled with dirt and a poppy crop was planted.  It was interesting to respond and watch the women slash the bulb of the plant, respond again at the same place a bit later and they were out there scraping the paste off the plant.  I even had one response in a 2 bedroom apartment with 10 family members and one of the bedrooms was 3' high with dirt, neon lights and poppy plants.  Supply and demand and we are on the demand side.  Sad fact is we don't want to look elsewhere for successes, it has to be our idea.  It is a sickness and can be inherited but we choose to incarcerate a young kid with 1 gram after 3 strikes and your out, put them into prison with hardened criminals where they are subjected to many ugly things and expect them to serve their time and come out a happy camper.  There is a certain percentage, whether it be alcohol, tobacco or drugs that will do it anyway, spend our taxes on those that get it and rehab them and half the prison propulation would go down.  An industry in and of itself.  Bottom line, it appears from 2000-2008 we didn't learn from the Great Depression after all, thus we repeat history. 

Sad but true. The War on Drugs is a joke.

hate to make this political paddy, but this response by ron paul nails it on the head...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuOWh5sX4yY

HEY UPAR,

 

Don't mind if you do . . .

Nothing further (LOL)

 

 

 

eye

Eye,

:-)